The review committee on garment factory inspection in Bangladesh is waiting for the government’s direction to take action against factories which have failed to conduct detailed engineering assessment of their factory buildings within the stipulated time. Of 49 factories, 14 units are yet to conduct the assessments. The 14 factories are on the inspection lists of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety and Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety.

The review committee was formed last year to decide on shutdown of any garment factory due to safety concerns. If the three initiatives find serious faults in any factory, they can suggest the review committee to look into the matter and only the review committee can announce closer of a factory if it finds any safety risk.

In the process, the review committee received recommendation for reviewing 41 buildings where 84 garment factories were located.After review the committee announced closer of 32 factories, while 21 units were partially closed, and 49 were asked to conduct the assessments.

The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments has already sent a list of the factories to the labor ministry seeking necessary direction in this connection.

Jeans Care was the first factory where Accord inspection teams found structural faults and sent their report to the review committee for further decision.In the first week of April the review committee asked the authorities of the factory to conduct the DAE within six weeks but the company is yet to do it.