Govt to supervise the RMG Sustainability Council activities

The commerce ministry has formed the Government Coordination Council (GCC) to supervise the activities of the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), a private organisation that oversees the safety standards at the readymade garment factories.

The GCC will ensure that the RSC's activities do not conflict with other government regulatory bodies, coordinate the RSC's work, resolve any grievances and provide necessary guidance.

The Ministry of Commerce announced the formation of the GCC on 15 October. 

Following the Rana Plaza accident, two platforms of European and American buyers – the Bangladesh Accord and the Alliance for Bangladesh Workers' Safety – have been operating since 2013 to oversee the safety measures of the Bangladeshi garment factories. 

In 2020, the Alliance and the Accord handed over their responsibilities to the Nirapon and the RSC respectively, which were formed based on a framework similar to the former organisations.

The RSC, which currently oversees about 1,500 garment factories in the country, was formed on an initiative of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), an organisation of the garment factory owners.

The RSC is licensed by the Ministry of Commerce, which said the issue of formation of the GCC at the initiative of the government is mentioned in the terms of the RSC license.

While the RSC is in operation, the Bangladesh Accord has recently announced to extend the tenure and expanse of their activities, which has created new concerns among factory owners.