Labour safety plan in offing

A tripartite action plan for labour safety in Bangladesh was announced on Saturday in the wake of the Savar tragedy that left more than 500 dead.

The Bangladesh government, factory owners and the workers will jointly implement these “short and medium term steps”.

The action plan was announced at a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the conclusion of Dhaka visit of an ILO delegation led by its Deputy Director General Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo.

Houngbo stressed on strong commitment from Bangladesh to resolve the labour safety issues and called upon all to ‘act now’.

In the action plan government has been asked to recruit more than 200 factory inspectors within six months.

It also called upon the ILO to initiate skill development and training programme for workers who sustained injuries in recent factory mishaps, including the fire at Tazreen Fashions in November last year.

In a joint statement, the government, RMG owners and workers promised to “stand united in their resolve to do everything possible to prevent a future tragedy”.

The government agreed to submit ‘a labour law reform package’ in the next session of the Parliament to improve protection and allowing the “fundamental rights to freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, as well as occupational safety and health.”

They called upon the ILO’s Better Work joint management to meet immediately after the adoption of the labour law.

They agreed to assess the structural building safety and fire safety of ‘all active export-oriented’ ready-made garment factories’ in Bangladesh and initiate remedial actions, including relocation of unsafe factories, within 2013.

The tripartite partners called for ILO's assistance in this regard.

It also called upon the government to ensure that Department of the Chief Inspector of Factories and Establishments is upgraded to a Directorate with an annual budget to recruit at least 800 inspectors and develop an 'infrastructure for their proper functioning’.

The joint statement emphasised ‘safety must be given the highest consideration by the government, employers and workers in Bangladesh’.

They also agreed that those responsible for the tragic events that have occurred in Bangladesh over the past six months ‘shall be held accountable’.

“Unless lawful actions are taken at the earliest more lives may be lost in preventable industrial accidents,” the statement read.

The tripartite partners and the ILO, however, acknowledged that “the challenges are daunting”.

But they said that “if international buyers and brands take increased responsibility for improving working conditions and safety and health and with the active support of development partners and donors, safety can and must be improved in all workplaces through Bangladesh”.