Beef up watch on factory
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the labour and employment ministry to take immediate measures to strengthen the department of inspection for factories and establishments under it with necessary manpower and logistics.
The premier gave the directive yesterday at a cabinet meeting that discussed safety measures in readymade garment sector in the wake of the Savar tragedy, meeting sources said.
Established in 1970, the department of inspection is supposed to oversee more than two lakh factories including over 5,000 readymade garment factories and establishments countrywide.
It has only 51 inspectors for the massive task. Another 52 approved posts of inspector are vacant for long.
The Daily Star on Monday ran a report on the department's inability to perform its functions properly due to an acute crisis of manpower and logistics.
"At the cabinet meeting, the issue was discussed. The prime minister ordered recruiting manpower for the vacant posts in the department," Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar told The Daily Star yesterday.
The department now has around 50 percent of its approved manpower, he said. "Recently we have taken up a project involving more than Tk 20 crore to strengthen the department by recruiting manpower and purchasing some vehicles."
The secretary said their ministry has also sent a proposal to the public administration ministry to upgrade the department considering the importance of its functions, and to increase its manpower to 2,291 from 314 now.
The proposal contains 1,000 posts of inspector.
He said the department had 204 officials and employees when it was set up in 1970.
The labour department under the ministry is also facing a manpower shortage with many approved posts lying vacant, said the secretary.
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