President, Bangladesh Garments & Industrial Workers Federation on the Rana Plaza tragedy

International Labour Organisation (ILO) has taken upon advisory and coordinator roles to support the timely implementation of the prescribed activities and minimise duplication of efforts. Other important steps taken to ensure workplace safety included the establishment of a task force on building and fire safety of the Cabinet Committee for the RMG sector, upgradation of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) to a directorate, the development and introduction of unified fire safety checklist to be used by all relevant government agencies, establishment of a workers’ safety hotline through the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD), and lastly, the adoption of a National Occupational Safety and Health Policy. "Working conditions and workers' rights issues are receiving high priority in Bangladesh; The responses by the Government, the RMG industry, and workers’ organisations to recent tragedies in Bangladesh RMG sector are cause for measured optimism," ILO Country Director Srinivas Reddy said in February.