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Workers from adjoining districts start for the capital flouting physical distancing guidelines
As per the government formed taskforce directives, apparel makers on Sunday reopened factories in first phase in Dhaka zone on a small scale.
Owners claimed that they maintained safety guidelines to ensure workers’ safety as directed by the government and BGMEA.
A total of 213 factories had applied for opening in Dhaka zone but less than 40 factories were opened. Across the country, including Dhaka, nearly 400 garment units started production on Sunday, a highly credible source at BGMEA, who preferred not to be named told Dhaka Tribune.
Garment workers in their thousands started for Dhaka, Gazipur and Savar to join their factories on the same day. They started from Mymensingh, Madaripur, and other adjoining districts, defying the risks of contracting coronavirus.
Meanwhile, workers are divided over safety issue.
“In maintaining physical distancing, we have cut 160 lines to 115 lines, while during the entry and exit there is a 30 minutes gap to ensure physical distance. Workers are allowed to enter and exit in three phases,” SM Khaled, managing director of Snowtex Outerwear Ltd said.
On the other hand, 15 thermal scanners were set up to check temperature of workers and enough arrangement ensured to wash hands, added Khaled.
Besides, floors, lift button and stairs were disinfected, he added.
A group of workers admitted there were adequate safety arrangements at the factory.
“Our factory have arranged safety facilities such as soap to wash hands, thermal scanner to check temperature at the entrance,” Razia Sultana, a worker of standard group told Dhaka Tribune.
During visit at Polka Dots Fashion Ltd, located at Mirpur 13, Dhaka Tribune found workers were not maintaining social distance.
However, BGMEA claimed that most of the manufacturers complied with safety issues and other social distancing guidelines.
“Workers were asked to wear masks, and have their own handkerchiefs. At entrances, we asked the owners to set up thermometer guns to check temperature of everyone entering factories and keep enough sanitation equipment,” BGMEA president Rubana Huq said.
As part of the disinfection measures, BGMEA asked factories to spray bottoms of shoes with disinfectant, said the business leader.
Owners are asked to consider paid leave for the most vulnerable workers, or those at risk, such as pregnant women and workers over 50 years old, she added.
BGMEA advised all members for quality cleaning and disinfecting of highly used surfaces including door knobs, handrails, toilet seats, work surfaces, and common areas where transmission of the virus might take place.
Factories should have an on-site medical team and a separate area to quarantine suspected patients, the BGMEA instructed.
However, trade union leaders opposed the factory reopening decision considering the health risk of workers.
“As a trade union leader, I cannot support the reopening as there remains a health risk ,” Nazma Akter, president of Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Whether the factory would be reopened or not, this should come from the government as the BGMEA and BKMEA even failed to provide wages for March in time, added Nazma.
She also said safety guideline was supposed to be prepared by the Ministry of Health in line with the international standards.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune, a group of workers said that their owners did not take proper steps on safety measures.
“We have only soap to wash hands and masks to wear. But there was no other steps such as ensuring physical distancing or thermal scanner to check temperature,” Abul Kalam, a worker of a Mirpur- based factory said.
On the other hand, there was no medical facility and cleaning of toilets and floors, he added.
Since March 26, most of the RMG factories were closed as the country is going through lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus.
(DT)
