Bangladeshi garment producers have refused to recognise the newly announced International Accord, which was signed by major global apparel brands and unions. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) called the proposed International Accord’s implementation in Bangladesh “misleading,” claiming that no approved organisation, other than the Readymade Garment Sustainability Council (RSC), existed in the country’s garment industry to oversee workplace safety.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Women’s Association (BGMEA) has said any agreement signed outside Bangladesh must stand as null and void, and have no scope of being implemented. The BGMEA statement came four days after the formal announcement of the agreement titled ‘International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment Industry’.
Bangladesh’s Textile and Garment Manufacturers Association (BGMEA) has said the recent press release by the Accord Foundation, declaring formation of the International Accord might have been confusing for many and might give the impression of a poor partnership. The press release might be seen to be undermining an independent organisation, one that is not controlled or subservient to the parties to the above-captioned agreement, it said.
The Bangladesh Textile and Garment Manufacturers and Women’s Association (BGMEA) has said that the International Accord agreement is not being implemented in Bangladesh by the Royal Society of Chartered Surveyors (RSC). The RSC is an independent non-profit company, licenced by the government and having equal representations, and was formed to take over the Bangladesh operations of the Accord.
