Three major factory accidents occurred recently -- two in Dhaka and one in Chittagong-- leaving 142 workers killed and more than 500 injured, many of them disabled for life. All these accidents took place due to lack of proper safety measures at the factories.

But the government's factory inspection office under the directorate of labour is still to wake up to improve the situation. Directorate sources however said the number of factory inspectors is too small for this job.

"Our manpower is too limited to cover all factories and take proper steps but we are doing our best," said Dr Md Serajuddin, chief inspector of factories.

According to official statistics, only three inspectors are engaged in inspecting safety measures at as many as 15,000 factories under Dhaka divisional factory inspection office. And only 20 inspectors are now deployed to inspect around 50,000 registered factories in the country. Of them, four are working at the head office, six at Dhaka divisional office and three at Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi divisional offices.

Some other general inspectors look into violation of laws relating to factories, workers' wages and licences of factories.

Different kinds of registered factories, including garments units, are under their supervision. Each of them is supposed to inspect at least 10 factories a month.

Thousands of small unregistered factories in various sectors are not under their jurisdiction.

From 1995 to 2004, a total of 23,989 factory accidents occurred-- 3,412 serious and 20,414 minor-- claiming 163 lives and leaving thousands injured, according to the factory inspection office.

But other sources said the number of casualties was much higher.

A survey conducted by a non-governmental organisation -- Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation -- said more than 400 workers (including construction workers) died and more than 3,000 were injured at their work places last year.

Some sources said inspectors cannot take any effective steps against faulty and risky factories due to bureaucratic tangles and corruption, resulting in recurrence of accidents.

There are only 13 inspectors in three categories -- general, safety (engineering) and medical -- for more than 14,000 factories, including nearly 5, 000 garment factories, in the city and Narayanganj.

The number of factory inspections and cases filed are amazingly high compared to the number of inspectors. In 10 years from 1996 to 2005, factories were inspected 4,42,462 times and 10,3024 cases were filed. But that improved the safety situation very little as evident from the number of accidents.

A labour court source said inspectors are keen to file cases because when they do so, factory owners negotiate with them and make payments for withdrawal of the cases. But they hardly file cases regarding violation of safety measures.

"I cannot remember if they (inspectors) have filed any case here for violation of safety measures in recent past. We get cases mainly concerning wages and job discrimination," said a labour court official, requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, the factory inspection office filed cases against 92 garments factories with civil courts after the Spectrum Garment collapse, the biggest factory tragedy in recent times. Despite this, safety system in the factories hardly changed.

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