Industrial villages: prevention for factory accidents

K M Mominur Rahman

International buyers should not form an opinion of the factory conditions in Bangladesh taking into consideration the collapsed Rana Plaza, which is anomalous of the country's garment industry, a top regulator said.
"Rana Plaza is not representative of the country's 6,000 strong garment industry,” K M Mominur Rahman, executive chairman of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), told The Daily Star in an interview recently.
“We have many compliant companies -- both inside and outside EPZs [export processing zones] -- that can compete with the companies from industrialised, developed nations."
Rahman, however, admitted that there are weaknesses in some factories, which can be fixed gradually. “We can do it."
The disintegration of Rana Plaza, an unauthorised nine-storied building in Savar which housed five garment factories, last Wednesday, killing at least 385 and fatally injuring thousands, brought to the fore the issue of working conditions in the 20-billion-dollar industry.
Such incidence of building collapse or factory fires, though, is a rarity in the eight EPZs that Rahman's BEPZA controls, thanks to the number of system-specified compliance adhered to.
"We follow the same system in case of building code -- we ensure everything so that workers' lives are safe."
Rahman, however, admits fire incidents sometimes occur.
“But all measures are in place to contain it [fire] right away,” he said, adding that both foreign and local investors properly observe all of the compliances inside the EPZs.
“That is the key. It is not the case that we impose everything on them. Buyers as well as investors do this on their own. We supervise them in correcting any weaknesses, if there are any, in their units.”
The BEPZA chief said EPZs have some special advantages: they operate in a bonded area and are free from all outside influences.
Workers employed at EPZs receive their salaries regularly and on time, together with all benefits.
Besides, there are many companies inside the EPZs which provide additional facilities to their workers, many of which are not available in factories outside of the EPZs.
“Thanks to timely payment of salaries and other perks, the workers are very loyal to their employers and are never involved in any unrest."
Rahman said if the garment factories could be given an EPZ-like perimeter it would easily become possible for the government to enforce structural building codes, fire compliances and other requirements, all of which would provide a congenial environment for the workers.
To achieve that, the BEPZA chairman suggested setting up industrial villages to relocate the haphazardly-located garment factories across the country.
“The industrial villages could be set up emulating the EPZs in district towns around Dhaka and Chittagong cities,” he said, while calling for the process to start immediately.
The BEPZA chairman said the government could set up a regulatory body, even if it is not like BEPZA, to ensure that garment owners follow all compliances.
“The regulator will inspect everything at factories often and apprise the government of their weaknesses. Accordingly, the authorities will take action.”
Still, Rahman wonders whether such a body would be sufficient to control the industry in an effective manner, given the experience.
"But the factory owners can do this out of their own conscience. But it would be best if the BGMEA [Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association] takes the initiative."
His comments then put a question mark on the efficacy of some of the government agencies such as factory inspectors, fire department or housing authorities, who give clearance before a factory is set up.
"We have to ensure all compliances, as this is a very, very labour-intensive sector."
He mentioned the role of media following incidents such as the Savar tragedy or the Tazreen fire, which sends out a wrong message and gives ammunition to Bangladesh's competitors to renew their propaganda against the country.
"Incidents like this are broadcast in both the local and foreign media in such a way that it tends to suggest everything is bad here. But that is not the case. Only a handful of companies out of the country's about 6,000 garment companies could be lagging when it comes to compliance."He said tragedies such as fire and building collapse also take place in many countries, but they are not publicised in such a manner.
"Our media will have to be careful. Definitely, they will publicise the incident, but in a way so that the industry can take corrective measures and survive."
The BEPZA chairman said the government should, without any delay, begin testing the strength of all existing factory buildings and close the risky ones before another tragedy strikes.  “There are factory buildings which do not require major shaking to bring them down -- an average earthquake could collapse them."
Rahman said the garment sector boom did not happen overnight; rather it grew gradually, over three decades.
“The global companies have rushed to Bangladesh because production cost here is one of the lowest in the world. We have many competitors, but they lag behind because of our abundant workforce. We are a haven for investment.”

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