The Commerce Ministry of Bangladesh has criticised the Accord for severing business ties with 532 garment factories for their alleged poor progress in remediation. Some of these 532 factories are big and compliant, owned by the leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)

The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, the platform of more than 200 mostly European-based retailers formed to design a safe and healthy garment industry in the country, is due to leave Bangladesh on November 30 after five and a half years. Although the platform has been trying to extend its tenure for three more years to see through the remediation works in the factories it has inspected. But it has been met with resistance from the government and factory owners.

By then, if the 532 factories are not close to completing their remediation works they would become ineligible to supply to the Accord's over 200 signatory brands. The owners of these factories have already spent Tk 5 crore to Tk 30 crore for inspection and remediation of a factory.