Bangladesh government officials carrying out inspections at various garment factories have been provided with motorcycles, which will help boost their capacity to work.
The 95 motorcycles were provided by the Improving Working Conditions in the Ready Made Garment (RMG) Sector Program.
This program, an initiative of the Government of Bangladesh and implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) is funded by governments of Canada, Netherlands and UK.
These motorcycles were provided to officials of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), who are involved in carrying out safety inspections at garment factories.
The handover of motorcycles is a part of a three-year plan to strengthen the Bangladesh labour inspection system.
Till date, the RMG Sector Program has also handed over equipment totalling to US$ 477,000 to Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) to carry out factory safety inspections.
In June this year, 125 labour inspectors received ILO training on inspections as well as occupational safety and health.
ILO Country Director for Bangladesh, Srinivas Reddy said, “DIFE needs the right equipment and right skills if it is to carry out the vital role entrusted to it.
“The handover of these motorcycles is part of a long-term undertaking to strengthen DIFE and I am confident that this equipment will ultimately benefit thousands of workers throughout Bangladesh.”
The three-and-a-half year RMG Sector Program focuses on improving factory building safety, workers’ rights and overall working conditions in Bangladesh and will run until December 2016. (AR)