Garment factory owners in Bangladesh have expressed strong dissatisfaction with a decision by the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC) to expand the range of acceptable worker complaints under its purview beyond issues related to occupational safety.
The RSC – formed by factory owners, global brands and trade unions – is responsible for monitoring safety in the garments industry.
As per the RSC’s Comprehensive Complaints Mechanism (CCM), it will now cover issues on “unfair” employment contracts, wages and benefits, freedom of association, child and forced labour, and discrimination alongside its existing workplace safety mandate.
The decision, approved by the RSC’s board of directors on October 20, will come into effect on November 16, marking what it says is a “significant milestone” in promoting fair and transparent workplace practices.
However, many factory owners see the move as an unnecessary and harmful expansion that could complicate the industry’s operational landscape.
Shovon Islam, managing director of Sparrow Group, said the RSC has already gone beyond its original mandate by taking on boiler inspection and certification – a function that overlaps with the responsibilities of the government’s boiler authority.
“Now we are dealing with two authorities for the same issue,” he told TIMES.
Shovon pointed out that instead of focusing on safety certification, for which thousands of factories have been waiting for years, the RSC is taking on new responsibilities that could paralyze the industry.
Shovon further said that the RSC was established solely to oversee building, fire and electrical safety issues, but has now become “Frankenstein’s monster for the industry”.
He also criticised the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) for being “ineffective” in resisting what he termed as “RSC’s overreach.”
Referring to RSC’s official circular, Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), said the letter mentions that the decision was approved by the RSC board.
“Since industry representatives are part of that board, they must clarify whether they were consulted. Otherwise, this will impact the entire sector, including them,” he added.
Mohiuddin Rubel, a former BGMEA director, echoed the same, urging immediate dialogue among all stakeholders to reassess the RSC’s expanded mandate to prevent disruption in the garments sector.
Abdul Haque, managing director of the RSC, said the expansion of their duties represents efforts to facilitate a unified and trusted process for addressing concerns through a single, credible platform.
The new mechanism is designed to streamline complaint management, minimise duplication of efforts and make the resolution process fairer, faster and more effective, he added.
In its circular, the RSC said that each case will be handled though a structured, evidence-based process, replacing informal or unverified communication channels.
The expanded mechanism will be rolled out in two phases. Phase-1, which will commence on November 16, will cover 58 brands and 1,185 factories, setting the stage for full implementation.
Phase-2, planned six months later, will include all remaining brands and factories, ensuring complete coverage of all the RSC signatories.
Shams Mahmud, managing director of Shasha Denims PLC, said the implementation of RSC’s expanded CCM will be very challenging as it lacks experienced and sufficient manpower to handle such issues.
“This delay in dispute resolution could hamper the industry’s productivity,” he added.
