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Improving working conditions in the ready-made Garment Sector in Bangladesh - Midterm Evaluation

eval_number:

2158

eval_url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/eval/2158

lessons_learned:

themes:

theme:

Labour standards

category:

International Labour Standards

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comments:

ILO CO and its RMGP team, NTC, all implementing partners and relevant agencies, and development partners.

challenges:

If this core component of the RMGP remains even partially unimplemented, then the credibility of the RMGP and this national action plan will lost.

success:

Formulation and implementation of remediation plans and bringing unregistered RMG factories to building, fire and electrical safety assessment regime.

context:

The project’s developmental objective of safe and compliant RMG industry will face setback if comprehensive action plans are not adopted strictly over next few months.

description:

Workplace safety assessment alone does not necessarily guarantee better working conditions unless followed up by remediation. Corrective action plans and implementation of these plans need to follow quickly after assessment. The RMG sector cannot remain complacent after the assessments are completed. The statistics shows that while more than 3,000 factories have gone through safety assessment under NI, Accord and Alliance arrangements. In all, the Review Panel handled 112 cases so far. These were the cases considered “unsafe’ to operate and only 34 have been ordered to close down. Remediation has been stagnant or much slower than expected. It has progressed only in part of the factories assessed by Accord and Alliance and almost all NI assessed factories have yet to start the process. According to industry stakeholders, the financing of remediation cost appears as a major constraint. On the top, DIFE’s capacity is inadequate to oversee remediation plans and accomplishments. Prolonged delays in addressing remediation will further put the working conditions in the sector at risk. An industry source estimates that 60% of the factories would need remediation. It is a daunting task but saving lives by ensuring safe working place is more important. The Government is aware of remediation financing requirement and reportedly seeking funding arrangement. This needs to be in place sooner than later. An added factor is that there are thousands of factories temporarily closed down, operating illegally, operating as subcontractors or are exporting to countries that do not require Accord or Alliance certification. It is a priority task for DIFE, FSCD, BGMEA, BKMEA and trade unions to work collectively and bring them to assessment regime. The DFID’s 2014 AR raised the associated challenge and risks, but there is no progress on this front. Any further building collapse or fire incidence would put industry’s reputation at risk.

administrative_issues:

Continued ILO CO’s rigorous efforts are needed to pursue this issue to NTC. Regular monitoring system and Project Managers’ effective engagement with DIFE is required.

url:

https://webapps.ilo.org/ievaldiscovery/lessons/204312

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location:

country:

Bangladesh

region:

Asia and the Pacific

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eval_title:

Improving working conditions in the ready-made Garment Sector in Bangladesh - Midterm Evaluation