It is a matter of grave concern that, as per the Accord's report of the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), only 27.25% out of 1,700 RMG factories in Bangladesh installed fire detection and alarm systems as of April this year.
Bangladesh's RMG industry took a severe hit in the wake of the Rana Plaza tragedy a decade ago - its effects are still being felt to this day. It was also the tragedy that set in motion Bangladesh's RMG industry looking to turn over a new leaf and develop safer factories and better workplaces for the workers.
Some credit must be given to the industry as a whole as there have indeed been large scale changes to our factories - many of them now being certified green factories - and the working conditions and wages of the workers.
However, it is disappointing to learn that, 10 years on, there remain so many factories that continue to neglect the importance of fire safety and well-being.
Bangladesh is unfortunately no stranger to fires; particularly over the past decade, we have seen one fire tragedy after another - with most of them being entirely preventable and more a consequence of disregard. This has become the norm and it is high time we do something to eliminate such a norm.
With the threat of fire ever present, it is imperative that all RMG factories in the country prioritize fire safety and treat it with the seriousness it warrants.
The RMG industry continues to be the most important export industry for us and if we intend for it to continue scaling new heights, then ignoring fire safety should be ringing alarm bells for the industry as a whole.
