By complying with the instructions of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) effectively, factory owners can run their respective factories
Export-oriented apparel factories, which have enough work orders as well as an adequate number of personal protective equipment (PPE), masks and hand sanitizers, will continue to operate from Sunday since there is no restriction from the government as also from the garment trade bodies. “The government did not issue any directive on closures of export-oriented industries, which have international work orders and have enough coronavirus-related protective measures, including personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, hand sanitizers and medicines,” said the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) in a recent directive. By complying with the instructions of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) effectively, factory owners can run their respective factories, the directive added. However, it was mandatory to check workers’ temperature by thermal scanners before they entered factories and if there was any symptom of virus in anyone, the factory management had to provide quarantine and treatment facilities, the notification also said. “From the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), there is no restriction on keeping factory production closed. If a factory has work orders it will run and must maintain all safety measures for workers regarding coronavirus,” BKMEA first vice president Mohammad Hatem told Dhaka Tribune. However, it will be very tough to run factories as most of them do not have enough work orders, and the entire workforce may not be able to join, BGMEA Director Rezwan Selim said. Apparel factories located in Ashulia, Savar, Mirpur and Gazipur will run as usual as the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has asked its members to continue running their operations. The RMG factories were previously closed in line with the general holiday from March 25 till April 4.
