The North American Alliance for Bangladesh Workers Safety, a US-based clothing retailers’ platform, will inspect 500 garments factory on fire and building safety by July next year.
“The alliance will inspect 500 garments factory to improve fire and building to be completed by July next year, if everything is ok,” said Jeff Krilla, executive director of the Alliance after a meeting with government official and apparel leaders Sunday held at state guest house Padma.
“Our agenda is very simple that is we will work to improve situation of garment sector,” he added.
Meanwhile, the North American Alliance team led by its chair Ellen O’ Kane Tauscher Sunday held its board meeting in Dhaka, which was aimed at preparing a framework on safety for the garment factories of Bangladesh.
“The alliance will inspect 500 garments factory by next year but they did not yet fix the starting date of inspection,” said Commerce Secretary Mikail Shipar. He added the Alliance said they would provide $100m for the development of RMG sector.
BGMEA president Atiqul Islam said the Alliance has raised the fund to assist garment factories fire and building safety.
“The American buyers will continue buying garment products from Bangladesh and provide all-out cooperation for the development of country’s readymade garment sector,” he told the Dhaka Tribune Sunday after having meeting with the visiting Alliance team.
BGMEA chief said they would also inspect 500 garment factories to learn about the fire and building safety compliance situation there. They however have not fixed any date for the inspection. Atiqul Islam said the inspection is likely to start after reaching a common ground on the issue of safety.
Earlier on August 20, the US-based clothing retailers’ alliance of 20 companies held a meeting in Chicago where they announced steps to implement a safety plan for the factories in Bangladesh.
The alliance launched a five-year project to inspect 500 factory sites in the region, implement safety standards and assist owners with making the necessary improvements.
The US retailers took the initiatives following the Rana Plaza collapse in April, which killed more than 1,100 workers, putting pressure on the manufacturers to address safety.
