The Accord has severed ties with a factory for its failure to complete remediation works despite serving it with notices three times — a move that shows the platform’s resolve to raise the workplace safety standards in Bangladesh’s garment sector. During inspection by Accord engineers, All Weather Fashions was asked to evacuate two floors of the nine-storey building at Mohakhali in Dhaka, which the company did it right away, said its Managing Director Tariqul Islam. Its production was shifted to five other floors in the same building and simultaneously a new factory was built at Pubail in Gazipur on eight bighas of land following all building codes. The Accord gave me three letters for remediation of the old factory building, but I did not repair it. Instead, I constructed a new factory as my business has expanded and more space was needed.” If any factory or company is served three notices for remediation, its owner is no longer allowed to conduct business with any of the Accord members in the same plant or in a new building, according to the platform’s rules. In May this year, the Accord sent a letter to All Weather Fashions severing all business ties with the company. The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh is a five-year independent, legally binding agreement signed on May 15, 2013 between 200 Europe-based brands and trade unions designed to build a safe Bangladeshi garment industry. Islam, who started his garment business in 2003, said he has requested the Accord to allow All Weather Fashions to start operation in the new factory as a special case. “I hope Accord will consider my appeal,” he said, adding that he hopes to start production at the new factory in February next year. When contacted, Rob Wayss, executive director and acting chief safety inspector of Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, said he received one such complaint from an owner. “This request is still under consideration by the Accord,” Wayss said. So far, Accord terminated business relationship with 52 factories, Wayss said.Siddiqur Rahman, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said he heard about the problem but nobody lodged any formal complaint to the trade body for solution.Syed Ahmed, inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, said no owner has lodged any complaint in this connection yet. All Weather Fashions raked in Tk 25 crore from exports in 2015.
