Rupganj fire unfolds vulnerability of non-RMG factories: Experts

Narayanganj’s Rupganj fire incident is an example of how the non-garment factories produce goods in a vulnerable condition, experts have said.

They blamed the lack of monitoring and coordination among the regulatory bodies for the devastating fire that killed at least 52 people and many others injured at a juice-making factory on Thursday.

The observation was made at a webinar on ‘Industrial Safety of the RMG Sector during the Post-Accord-Alliance Period’ organised by jointly Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Bangladesh on Sunday.

Speaking at the event, CPD Chairman Professor Rehman Sobhan said, “The safety of the industrial sector is a nationwide problem now.”

“There is a lack of monitoring and coordination among the regulatory bodies. The RMG sector is running a lack of monitoring too,” he said, calling the fire incident very painful.

To reduce the risk of such incidents in the future, inspection reports should be published regularly, he said.

Businessman Syed Manzur Elahi said, “A bigger number of people are working in the informal sector. The proper safety measure in the workplace of the sector is weak. Local factories are more vulnerable than the export-oriented sector.”

However, he said, “Due to the buyer’s pressure, the RMG sector has improved safety in the factories. But still many factories are yet to ensure the safety measures.”

“No initiatives will work if these are not implemented institutionally. Industrial accidents are increasing at an alarming rate,” Elahi, also a member of CPD Board of Trustees and former advisor to the caretaker government and Apex Group chairman.