Even though the revised deadline set by the government-ILO joint assessment initiative expired on July 30 last, more than 300 BGMEA/BKMEA listed garment factories have not yet been inspected, officials said. Sources and officials, however, said the government is considering extending the timeframe for the cost-free inspection programme by two more months following the request made by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). Earlier, the government-ILO joint initiative under the National Plan of Action set the deadline of 30 April 2015 to complete the assessment of garment factories that remain outside the purview of Accord and Alliance. Assessment of garment factories under the joint move started in November 2013. To date, more than 1,000 factories have been assessed under the national initiative, supported by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) with backing from Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. But the joint programme is going to end half-heartedly as hundreds of factories that are the members of neither BGMEA nor Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) are not included in the assessment programme, keeping the safety concern as it is, they mentioned. ILO on April 30 wrote letter to BGMEA and BKMEA about its revised deadline, requesting the trade bodies to inform its members of enjoying free of charge assessment before the expiry of the deadline. The cost of the assessment would have to be borne by the building and factory owners after the deadline. Later, the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) on June 01 issued a circular mentioning that assessment of listed garment factories under the national initiative would end on July 30. “Punitive action including stop of factory production will be taken against the factory authorities that would fail to conduct inspection,” it also warned. Syed Ahmed, Inspector General of DIFE, said in a recent meeting, the DIFE has raised the issue of time extension as more than 300 garment factories are still beyond the assessment programme. “Following the request both from BGMEA and DIFE, we will sit today (Sunday) with the government top officials concerned in this regard,” ILO Country Director for Bangladesh Srinivas Reddy told the FE Saturday. Hinting at a positive note for a two-month extension, Mr Reddy said, “But this time, responsibility lies on BGMEA and BKMEA to coordinate all the issues including fixing appointment and so on.” Though the programme is delayed and hampered due to a number of factories having closed, moved or changed contact details, it is remarkable that some 1,200 factories under the national initiative have been assessed having any pressure from brands and buyers, he said.
