The High Court on Thursday directed the labour and employments ministry secretary to submit a report by August 6 on progress in putting in place fire safe and structural integrity measures at apparel factories in accordance with the National Tripartite Plan of Action. A bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice AKM Zahirul Haque issued the directive after hearing a petition from rights groups—Ain O Salish Kendra and Bangladesh Legal Aid Services Trust. The petition stated that the action plan was adopted by the government, the employees and workers at a tripartite meeting jointly organized by the labour ministry and the International Labour Organization. It said that the action plan was adopted after hundreds of workers were killed in devastating factory fires at Tazreen Fashions in November 2012 and the Smart Export Garment in January 2013 and the Rana Plaza disaster in April 2013. It said that the tripartite action plan required taking comprehensive actions to prevent further loss of life, limbs and property in factory fires and other accidents. The action plan required taking six short and medium term steps to improve structural integrity of apparel factories and other measures to prevent recurrence of disastrous accidents, said the petitioners. The bench also asked the labour ministry secretary to explain by August 6 why he would not be held responsible for the Rana Plaza disaster which killed 1,129 people, mostly female apparel workers and left 2,000 others maimed. The secretary was also asked to explain why he would not be punished for the disaster. The court posted the next hearing on the suo moto rule it had issued on April 30, 2013 for August 10. The rule had asked 26 other government and private functionaries to explain why they would not be held responsible for the Rana Plaza disaster and punished for their negligence. Lawyer Tanim Hussain Shawon appeared for the petitioners.
