Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has chalked out a series of programme to observe the first anniversary of Rana Plaza collapse that killed over 1,135 workers and injured at least 2,500 on April 24 last year.
The programme include bringing out a mourning procession, hoisting of black flags at the top of all factories, special prayers for the salvation of the departed souls of the workers and recitation from the holy Quran.
The main special prayer will be conducted by Maulana Mohammad Salah Uddin, Imam of the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque, at 12:01 pm at BGMEA headquarters and also in all the RMG factories across the country at the same time.
Addressing a press conference in the city, BGMEA President Atiqul Islam yesterday formally announced the programme.
Atiqul Islam urged the global retailers not to pull out anymore orders. “It is nothing but illogical to pull out orders from shared building, from which you have been sourcing products for the last 20 years,” said Islam.
According the BGMEA, over 30% factories are housed in shared building, where 1.5m workers are employed, most of them are women.
Atiqul said: Since the Rana Plaza disaster, the BGMEA and factory owners have done lots of improvement to ensure workers safety and security and increased wages, but the buyers did not increase prices of products. He also said that the BGMEA was working hard to make the industry sustainable and to avert any further factory disaster, for ensuring safe workplace for the ready-made garment workers and the buyers should come up with realistic and effective measures for the betterment of the workers.
“The government amended labour law, increased wages, appointed factory inspectors after the Rana Plaza incident to ensure safety and improve working environment, said Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar.
In his written speech, BGMEA president said: The BGMEA had spent Tk14.50 crore for the treatment of workers, rescue operations and to pay wages. It also contributed Tk 2 crore to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
