Gazipur's Matrix Sweater factory operated without a licence for 18 months

For more than 18 months, the Matrix Sweater factory at Gazipur was operating without a licence, says the website of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments about this factory of the Labib Group.

Shaikh Abdullahbdnews24.com
Published : 3 Feb 2016, 06:44 PM
Updated : 3 Feb 2016, 08:07 PM

It says that during an inspection of the factory on June 4, 2014, it was found the factory's licence had expired.

Matrix's Director (finance) Animesh Majumder was quoted as saying that a fresh licence had already been applied for. 

But neither the inspectorate nor the Labib Group could explain why the factory was operating without a licence.

The company suffered a TK 1 billion damage when fire erupted on the eighth floor of the factory building.

The inspectors suspect a short-circuit to be the cause of the fire.

Four days before this fire, another had erupted but could not spread due to prompt intervention by workers.

On Tuesday, however, 24 fire fighting engines had to struggle for six hours to control the fire.

Inspectors from garment buyers visiting the factory 18 months ago had asked the Matrix management to replace its electrical cables and equipment.

Foreign buying cartels 'Accord' and 'Alliance' also suggested cleaning up the generator room.

Alliance said in a statement on Wednesday that the Matrix fire, despite not causing human fatalities, has drawn the spotlight on Bangladesh's readymade garment industry all over again.

But Matrix official Animesh Majumder refused to accept the notion that the factory had been operating without a licence for 18 months.

"The charge is not correct," he told bdnews24.com.

Majumder said every licence has an expiry date, after which it has to be renewed. "We were in the process of getting a fresh licence."

Licences for readymade garment factories are valid for a year after which they have to be renewed.

A long list of clearances -- from environment to fire service to layout plan to insurance details -- are needed before the licence can be renewed.

Inspectors passed the buck when asked whether the Matrix factory had implemented the short, medium and long term measures recommended by Accord and Alliance to improve its infrastructure, electrical systems and fire prevention arrangement.

DIFE Additional Inspector General Shamuzzaman Bhuiyan asked bdnews24.com to contact its Gazipur office.

"Follow up action is their jurisdiction."

But Gazipur office's Deputy Inspector General Farid Ahmed was not able to say anything, claiming he had 'just joined' this office.

Matrix official Animesh Majumder said Accord and Alliance had raised 'technical issues', but he did not give any details.

"But I can tell you we have implemented many of their recommendations. Some more are being implemented. We have opened an LC for importing fire doors."

Majumder said the floor where the fire broke out was not under their supervision. "It had been rented out for long and Matrix had got it back only in October last year."