Forty-six readymade garment factories in Bangladesh have received formal recognition from the RMG Sustainability Council for meeting minimum workplace safety standards, reflecting continued compliance efforts in the country’s apparel industry.

The Letters of Recognition (LoR) were handed over to representatives of the factories on May 12 at the RSC office in Dhaka by RSC Managing Director Abdul Haque and Chief Safety Officer Md Hassan Nawazish.

With the latest additions, a total of 675 garment factories have now been recognised by the RSC for completing remediation work identified under corrective action plans (CAPs), according to a statement issued by the organisation.

The RSC, which took over the infrastructure and functions of the Bangladesh Accord in June 2020, was formed following the Rana Plaza disaster in April 2013 that exposed critical safety failings in the country’s apparel sector.

Since its establishment, the RSC has conducted 26,822 safety inspections across factories under its coverage.

Speaking at the event, RSC Chief Safety Officer Md Hassan Nawazish said the recognition acknowledged factories that had successfully completed their initial corrective action plans.

‘LoR recognises the effort made for completing initial CAPs,’ he said.

He stressed that sustainable compliance required continuous monitoring and a collective commitment to workplace safety, describing it as a proactive approach to building a safer and more sustainable garment supply chain.

Under the RSC process, factories and associated brands are required to prepare time-bound corrective action plans following initial inspections, based on the severity of identified safety risks.

The RSC said it regularly coordinates with factories to ensure outstanding remediation work is completed and carries out follow-up inspections to monitor progress.

Factories become eligible for recognition only after achieving 100 per cent completion of all initial findings.

‘Our recognition reflects the continued progress of our industry in prioritising worker safety and compliance,’ said Abdul Haque, Managing Director of the RSC.

‘The factories receiving this recognition have demonstrated strong commitment to maintaining the safety standards achieved over the years. Sustaining these standards is now more challenging than achieving them, and we must remain committed to that goal,’ he said.

The RSC currently oversees 1,921 factories and operates workplace safety training programmes alongside an independent complaints mechanism aimed at strengthening compliance and worker protection in Bangladesh’s garment industry.