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Minister comes down hard on retailers' groups

Star Business Report
A state minister yesterday slammed foreign inspection agencies for their recommendation for immediate closure of factories not having adequate safety measures.
The Accord and Alliance should give enough time to relocate or shift the garment units or comply with safety issues, said Mujibui Hoque Chunnu, state minister for labour and employment.
"They (Accord and Alliance] inspect our garment factories on building and fire safety issues and also recommend for closure of the units that they consider faulty,” he said.
"Are they civil engineers? Where are the engineers from? But they feel offended hearing this."
He was addressing the inaugural function of participatory planning workshop on managing occupational safety and health at workplace, jointly organised by the labour and employment ministry and the International Labour Organisation at Ruposhi
Bangla Hotel.
The Accord is a platform of 150, mostly European, retailers, while the Alliance is the platform of 26 retailers from North America.
Not only are the factories are closed down due the recommendations, but many workers are losing their jobs as well, which might give way to an agitation any time, the state minister said.
"They have to understand that it's not possible to shift or relocate garment factories overnight. It will take time. What will happen if a factory that has been running for 10 years runs for another six months?"
Chunnu said there is nothing to do if any accident happens during this time.
He, however, said that all stakeholders - the government, workers, owners and other organisations -will have to work together to develop the sector.
Some 60 participants form the government, trade unions, garment manufacturers' association and buyers attended the daylong workshop organised under the ILO's
"improving working conditions in the garment sector" programme.
Other speakers stressed the need for building occupational safety and health awareness in garment factories to reduce risks of accidents and to prevent accidents at workplaces.
Lilianne Ploumen, foreign trade and development cooperation minister of the Netherlands, said the Tazreen fire and Rana Plaza collapse are catalysts for change in the garment sector.
Since the incidents, the government and the private sector have taken several initiatives to strengthen occupational safety and health in the garment industry.
It is also laudable that the government adopted a 'national occupational and health policy' in November last year as part of its response to the commitments made in the national action plan in July last year, she said.
"Well functioning occupational safety and health committees in factories are essential for the safety and health of workers. For this, I hope that these new committees
are established in a fair and transparent manner with the appropriate representation of workers, including women."
The Netherlands, Canada and the UK are committed to the establishment and capacity building of occupational safety and health committees in the garment industry through joint support of ILO's garment programme, she added.
ILO Country Director Srinivas Reddy said the participatory workshop is an important initiative toward ensuring safe workplaces and preventing accidents in garment industry.
Enhanced awareness among the representatives of employers and workers would directly contribute to safe workplaces, he said.
Active functioning of the mandatory occupational safety and health committees and trade unions should contribute to greater participation of workers representatives in workplace safety measures, he added.
Mikail Shipar, labour secretary, also spoke at the inaugural session.