Accord, a platform of western buyers, has submitted an ‘exit plan’ to the government to end its ongoing workplace safety activities in the country’s readymade garment sector, people involved with the process said.It also included the details of its plan how it would render support to build the capacity of Remediation Coordination Cell (RCC), they added.The RCC, which is currently overseeing the remediation activities in the garment factories inspected under the national initiative, has been set up to take over the functions of the western retailers’ platforms– Accord and Alliance– once equipped with required capacity.The Accord, however, didn’t outline any timeframe in its transition plan of handing over its responsibilities to the authority concerned, they said.According to the plan, it has proposed setting up of a liaison cell within the RCC to build the RCC’s capacity and work on remediation of the factories Accord has terminated business relations in the first phase.In the second phase, it would hand over the factories that fully remediate, but currently are not working with Accord signatories’ brands.It would gradually hand over the activities related to safety committees and complaint mechanism in the third and fourth phases.In last two phases, Accord would hand over all factories’ responsibilities and its functions, once RCC becomes fully competent.When asked, Rob Wayss, executive director of Accord, in an e-mail confirmed that Accord has recently presented a transition plan to the laboursecretary.”This plan was presented by a delegation of 2018 Transition Accord signatories at a meeting with the labour ministry held in Dhaka on 18 September 2018,” he told the FE.He said they were informed that the government was reviewing the plan.They would sit with the government authority concerned to discuss the issue further shortly, he said.The Accord has been and remains fully committed to support the work of the National Plan of Action and the preparedness of the RCC, he noted.”The transition plan we have developed is fully aligned with the criteria and indicators developed by the labour ministry for the RCC,” he added.When contacted, a government official said they had received a six-phase exit plan. The government would sit next week to decide on next course of action, he added.”Though Accord didn’t mention any time, we would set a deadline to do the same. And it would be by November,” the official said.Accord, a coalition of more than 200 global apparel brands, retailers and rights groups, so far inspected fire, electrical and structural integrity in some 1,600 garment factories.Of them, some 172 completed full post-inspection flaw fixing work while 171 faced business termination due to their failure to fix safety flaws.A total of 89 per cent progress has been recorded in all factories, according to Accord’s official websiteThe tenure of existing Accord ended in May this year and the government allowed them a six-month extension.Pressure for further extension of Accord, however, is mounting from different quarters mainly to complete the tasks and continue with the ongoing safety culture for long-term sustainability, industry people said.
