The new launched Remediation Coordination Cell (RCC) is supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) with funding from Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. It will focus on managing the remediation process for garment factories under the Bangladesh government’s National Initiative.

The new unit will be staffed and supported by seconded members of regulatory bodies, including the Department of Inspections for factories and establishments, fire service and civil defense, RAJUK, Chief Electrical Inspector and public works department. They will be supported by private sector engineers hired to provide technical expertise for remediation follow-up. Speaking at the launch, Md Mujibul Haque, Minister of State for Labor and Employment said remediation of all garment factories must be completed as quickly as possible, and the RCC will make play a major role towards achieving this goal. Initially, the RCC will work with 1,293 factories.

The ILO asked for change as new factories are established and enter the National Initiative or as factories exit the two other inspection initiatives overseeing remediation. In addition to overseeing remediation process, the RCC will contribute to building capacity of regulators as well as further collaboration between them. As the work of RCC progresses, plans are on to put in place a long-term, coordinated approach to safety inspections and licensing.

The RCC has been established through the collaboration of the government of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA). The remaining 1,549 factories were inspected by the National Initiative supported by the ILO. Of those factories a number have subsequently closed, resulting in the 1,293 factories the RCC will work with. The RCC will be based at Pragati Insurance Bhaban in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area.