Led by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the government, RMG factory assessment, involving structural integrity and electrical safety inspection, may take more time to complete. Reason: RMG manufacturers have been given a couple of months more to pull up their socks. The step taken though, has not gone down well with the Inspector General of Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), Syed Ahmed. Questions have been raised on the relevance of extending the deadline in a meeting held recently.
The meeting saw the presence of ambassadors from the five countries, including EU, US, Canada and the Netherlands. They too were in favour of extending the deadline. The ILO, designated to oversee the RMG factory assessment affairs, is expected to inform the BGMEA authorities soon.
The BGMEA had earlier asked for time extension from ILO on the pretext that owners will not be able to meet the deadline on account of Eid. The ILO has done this several times before. The purpose of this exercise is to implement the Sustainability Compact and progress in the RMG sector. The safety measures are the direct fallout of the collapse of Rana Plaza factory in 2013.
