Monira Munni
More than 50 per cent of the country's ready-made garment factories, surveyed by a government organisation, are yet to set up their safety committees despite having legal compulsion to this effect, sources said.
The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishment (DIFE) under the ministry of labour and employment has come up with the findings after it surveyed a total of 841 ready-made garment units during the period between January and April 2016.
According to the law amended in 2013, any factory that employs 50 workers or above must form a safety committee which would work as per the rules.
On the other hand, according to the Rules published in September 2015, the existing factories have to form such committees within six months from the date the rules come into effect while the factories, set up after the formulation of the rules, within nine months after production starts.
The second review meeting of the Sustainability Compact held in January also pressed for setting up of such committees at factory level for ensuring structural, occupational and health safety, the sources added.
Out of the surveyed units, 542 are the members of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and 180 are the members of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) while the rest are affiliated with neither of the two associations, the findings revealed.
"Of the 841 factories surveyed, only 343 have set up safety committees," the report said.
On the other hand, the percentage of factories that have set up such committees is poor among non-member BGMEA/BKMEA units. It is only 19 per cent.
Only 41 per cent of the BGMEA and some 54 per cent of the BKMEA members have formed safety committees, according to the report.
Some 31 per cent factories didn't ensure personal safety net of the workers while 58 per cent of them didn't preserve safety record books and safety boards, it showed.
When contacted, DIFE Inspector General Syed Ahmed said, "We want to create a safety culture and we need support from both the workers and owners in this regard."
DIFE has prepared a list of 150 factories that have safety committees and it would provide training to some 20 units about the activities of the safety committees so that others can follow them, he added.  
Owners should encourage the formation of such committees for the betterment of both the workers and owners, he said. "Many problems could be solved easily if there is any body or committee in a factory. Both the workers and owners or factory management can discuss the way-out of any crisis."
Explaining the formation of safety committees, the DIFE IG said trade union representatives will select the safety committee members while participation committees do the same.
If there is no trade union or participation committee, the safety committees would be formed through election, he added.
"Many things made mandatory by the law are just found on documents due to pressure from foreign buyers," said Nazma Akter, president of Sammilito Garments Sramik Federation.
But in reality, most of them don't exist or practise, she said, adding that the factory owners need to change their mindset towards any independent neutral committee or body in a factory.
"Workers can bring any safety or other related concerns to the notice of the management and solve them through discussion," she noted.
Accord, an EU-based apparel brands, buyers and trade unions platform, launched a pilot programme in 56 units while 33 of its listed factories have set up safety committees.
Mahmud Hasan Khan, vice-president of BGMEA, differed with the DIFE statistics.
"More than 60 per cent of the BGMEA members have formed safety committees," he claimed, adding that the association also gave reminder to its members recently in this regard.   
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Source: The Financial Express