Apparel retailers and brands in the US and Canada are calling for assurances from the Bangladesh government that it is committed to worker safety issues in the country's garment factories.
The companies, who have joined together under the banner of the North American Bangladesh Worker Safety Working Group, last week revealed first details of their Safer Factories Initiative.
And on Friday (17 May) they sent a letter to the Prime Minster of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, calling for steps already taken by the government to be part of a longer-term response.
The government has already said it will begin inspections of factories, particularly in Dhaka and Chittagong, for compliance with fire and structural safety standards, and close a number of factories that have already been found to be unsafe.
Garment worker wages and rules on the formation of their own unions are also to be reviewed.
"These efforts are all necessary to begin addressing the underlying problems in the Bangladesh garment sector in a comprehensive, concrete, and coordinated manner," the letter said.
But it added: "We ask for your assurances that these positive steps will be part of an ongoing and sustained enforcement effort by the Bangladesh government.
"We also ask for your commitment for a transparent process of engagement between the Bangladesh government and our associations through the Safer Factories Initiative, including a list of inspected and closed factories and the results of the inspections."
The trade associations that make up the North American Bangladesh Worker Safety Working Group include the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), the Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF), the National Retail Federation (NRF), the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), and the United States Association of Importers of Textile and Apparel (USA-ITA).
They say they are committed to finding "practical immediate and longer-term solutions to ensure the safety of all garment production facilities and workers in Bangladesh.
"Working together with the Bangladesh government we can assure the viability of the Bangladesh garment industry as a manufacturer and supplier to markets around the world."
