High Court questions legality of ACCORD’s extension proposal

Washim Mia: To be informed the High Court has issued a rule on why one-sidedly the proposal, for 3 years extension, and the process of the project of Accord won’t be ruled out. A division bench combined with Justice Refat Ahmed and Justice Md. Selim issued this rule while hearing of a writ.

Mustafizur Rahman, Chairman of Smart Group, filed this writ petition against the decision of ACCORD termination.

The Executive Director of Accord, Secretary of Commerce and Labor ministry and the Inspector General of factory and inspection directorates have got 7 days to respond the rule.

At the same time, the court has fixed 25^th October for the next hearing date.

Adv. Yousuf Ali was the lawyer on behalf of the writ and he was collaborated by Adv. Uzzal Hosen, Adv. Gobinda Bishwas and Adv. Rumana Alam. Adv. KS Salauddin Ahmed was on behalf of the Accord and Deputy Attorney General Kazi Zinat Haque was of the states.

As alleged in the writ, Alliance has certified all three factories of Smart Group marking as ‘Safe Factory’. So, the termination of Accord can’t be acceptable at all.

Many other industrial companies like Smart Group have been destructed because of not having any supervision of the governmental authorities on the combination between Accord and Alliance, the writ includes.

At the hearing on 10^th October, the court ordered the states defensive to inform on 12^th October regarding the combination between Accord and Alliance and the steps of the government taken to supervise their work progress.

It should be stated that in the same year on 15^th May 2013 after Rana Plaza Collapse, Accord on fire and building safety in Bangladesh, a Europe based international alliance, was formed in order to assess the work environment of the garments sector. It is valid till June, 2018.

 But recently, Accord decided to stay for the second term ignoring the government and owners association, BGMEAK. They decided to extend their validity till June, 2021.

In a press release in August of current year Accord informs, ethically they have decided to continue their supervision and monitoring on the work environment, fire escape management etc to the garment factories of Bangladesh till 2021.

Already, they have managed EU approving it and submitted the proposal to the government of Bangladesh for approval.