DHAKA: Bangladesh authority started its full-fledged inspections of garment factories on Friday under a government plan to improve work condition, fire security.

BGMEA sources said the inspection was primarily started on November 15 and inspectors visited five factories on the day.

Thirty teams of engineers have initially began by assessing 200 clothing factories over eight weeks with plans to inspect 1,000 factories on structural integrity, fire and electrical safety, according to Mehedi Ahmed Ansary, a professor of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, reports Bloomberg.

The government has sought the help of the university for the checks in the factories.

Officials have so far only conducted visual surveys and the latest audits are the government’s first full-fledged assessment of structural and fire safety, Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar told the Bloomberg by phone.

“We had to sit with so many stakeholders in the garment industry,” said Shipar. “Then we had to make sure the standards are consistent with local laws and the national building code. That’s why it took so long.”

BDST: 1359 HRS, NOV 22, 2013
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