Closed garment and textile factory has reopened

Garment and textile factories that were closed to prevent crown infection began reopening on Sunday, while two organizations of clothing owners, BGMEA and BKMEA, banned it, but workers everywhere have been returning to the industry for the past two days at risk of crown infection.

According to some owners of the garment industry, factories have taken several initiatives to avoid the crown. However, it is not possible to accept social distance in the movement of workers outside the factory. On the other hand, some factories have taken the initiative to manage factories in two shifts (shifts) but face obstacles.

After receiving the green signal from the government, the process of reopening the closed clothing factory began. On Saturday, BKMEA ordered all its member factories to start the sample, weaving and dyeing section starting on Sunday. On the other hand, BGMEA ordered to start 213 factories in the Dhaka metropolis. The organization’s leaders had promised to open factories in other areas in phases starting next Tuesday. However, garment factories in areas other than the Dhaka metropolis began producing from Sunday morning. Workers also joined the work.

According to the industrial police, 460 BGMEA garment factories have been set up in Savar-Ashulia, Gazipur, Chittagong, Narayanganj, Mymensingh and Khulna, in addition to Dhaka. BKMEA has opened 121 garment factories and BTMA members have opened 58 textile factories in these areas. Of the 364 EPZs under BEPZA, 198 have been established. It also has many clothing factories.

Confirming the matter, the superintendent of police at the industrial police headquarters, Mohammad Amzad Hossain, said that there are 6,602 garment factories and other industrial factories in Savar-Ashulia, Gazipur, Chittagong, Narayanganj, Mymensingh and Khulna. Of these, 1,426 were released on Sunday. 6,165 were closed.

A BGMEA leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the organization had been instructed to set up 213 factories in the Dhaka metropolis. But in the end, around 25 factories have produced on Sunday.

When asked, BGMEA Vice President Arshad Jamal told Prothom Alo that each member had been asked not to bring workers from everywhere and not to fire anyone. As the matter was closely monitored, there was no catastrophe like the last time. He said that the factories that have been started have started production on a limited scale with the permission of BGMEA and the local administration. All factories will open in phases.

BKMEA Vice President Mohammad Hatem told Prothom Alo: “The organization had given clear instructions not to return workers everywhere. At the moment, there is no need for external labor for limited production. Even then, it is not clear why the workers come from the village.

When asked, Labor Leader Babul Akhter told Prothom Alo that large factories have taken various measures to control smoke from workers’ hands, spraying of disinfectants and physical distance. However, small and medium-sized companies could not take such preventive measures. A high-level government monitoring team must be formed to ensure that factories comply with sanitary regulations. However, under no circumstances can the Department of Factory and Establishment Inspection (DIFE) and the Industrial Police be assigned that responsibility. Because they don’t have that ability.