DHAKA – Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector (RMG) may be forced to close once more if it’s found that health and safety measures are floundered and the number of COVID-19 cases significantly increase, says health minister Zahid Maleque.
It comes after more than ten garment workers tested positive for the virus in the Savar district of Dhaka over the weekend, prompting an emergency meeting amongst industry figures on how best to mitigate a new wave of infections in the country.
In the past couple of weeks, more than 1,000 factories have reopened to ease the economic strains felt by RMG sector workers and employers. It’s expected that a joint-monitoring committee – headed by the likes of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) – will be established to ensure factories comply with stringent safety mechanisms.
