Bangladesh labour laws update
Bangladesh labour laws update have been announced by the government following several tragic incidents in factories of the country. The new regulations cover four themes:
- Free unions can be founded without agreement of the employer.
- Social fund: 5% of profits need to be paid to a fund for social benefits.
- Structural changes of factories, such as adding floors, have to be agreed on by the administration.
- Fire escape doors are now required to remain unlocked at all times.
Bangladesh Labour Laws update – all good now?
The proposed regulations aim at improving the workers’ situation in Bangladesh and decreasing risk while maintaining the minimum wage unchanged.
The largest issue remains compliance: will factories really tolerate unions? Will they accept to leave doors opened or will they shut them as soon as the governmental inspectors leave?
How can we be sure that the Bangladeshi suppliers comply with the law?
By visiting every factory before our first order and after. By being present on the manufacturing floor we show that we care.
By insisting, during the meetings and email conversations, on the importance of protecting the workers and the brand image.
By contracting professional auditors to double check the real conditions at the factory. During social audits, a local professional will interview factory floor workers to discover the actual working conditions.
During the product inspections: third party quality control companies can provide a quick report on the conditions found during the inspection. It is just a question of specifying this request in the inspection order. While most factories will put special make-up on for audits, many will skip it for product inspections. The reason is simple: there are too many inspections.
And you: do you think the latest Bangladesh labour laws update will protect your brand?
Photo from thedailystar.net
