Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine May Issue 2019 | Page 48

SUSTAINABLE BD HAVE YOUR SAY BREAKING NEWS Tell us your news by emailing at [email protected] To read the latest sustainability news, go to https://apparelresources.com/business-news/sustainability/  B'desh to make RMG factories ‘decent place to work at' The Bangladesh Government has established a loan fund of US $ 56 million for financing the country’s readymade garment (RMG) sector especially for its safety and environmental upgradation. The loan fund has been established in Bangladesh Bank with the aid of Agence Francaise de Developpement of France. The objective is to make the RMG factories safer, greener and, importantly, a ‘decent place to work at’ in terms of social compliance. The fund will help the RMG factories invest in safety retrofits and environmental upgrades. The eligible garment factory will get a loan of US $ 1.12 million from the loan fund at an interest rate of 7 per cent. Those going for larger upgrades could even be eligible for loan up to US $ 3.37 million. Besides, technical assistance worth US $ 16.04 million will be provided to successful garment factories, which is an initiative between the KfW Development Bank (Germany) and the European Union. This programme also focuses on training RMG managers in the areas of safety remediation and technical upgrades as well as on available financial options. Government ‘hesitant' to assume responsibility for factories under Bangladesh Accord The report also claimed that Bangladesh has not shut down factories that were deemed unsafe for the garment workers. It is worth noting that Accord had identified 114 factories as unsafe but more than half, as per reports, are still operational. The Government of Bangladesh has shown strong unreadiness to assume responsibility for all the garment factories under Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety. This was highlighted in the recently released report issued by the Clean Clothes Campaign, the International Labour Rights Forum, the Worker Rights Consortium as well as the Maquila Solidarity Network. Last year, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh had ordered the Accord to leave the country and had stated that the Remediation Coordination Cell was capable enough of taking up the responsibility of Accord. However, the Accord, which was signed by 200 firms in the aftermath of 2013 Rana Plaza disaster, had appealed against the court’s decision. Reportedly, each of the 745 factories under Bangladesh Government’s inspection programme are yet to remove the high-risk safety hazards that include lack of adequate fire alarms, exposed electrical wires as well as lockable exit ways. 48 Apparel Online Bangladesh | MAY 2019 | www.apparelresources.com What is appalling is that 346 out of 400 factories, for which information is available, have completed less than 20 per cent of necessary renovations. Reportedly, on the other hand, 89 per cent of necessary renovations required at factories under Accord have been completed. While the Accord’s fate in Bangladesh is yet to be decided, Clean Clothes Campaign is collecting support statements from international brands operating in the country. According to one such renowned sportswear brand Adidas, “Despite significant progress on safety measures for garment workers, the Accord’s work is not completed. Moreover, the Government’s Remediation and Coordination Cell neither has the capacity nor has it demonstrated the willingness to inspect factories to the same standards.”