BGMEA sets new membership criteria to ensure factory safety, operational standards

The apex body of the country's apparel sector has introduced a set of new criteria for granting membership, including minimum factory space and machinery requirements, aiming to ensure basic operational and safety standards.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said it will not register any garment factory located in shared buildings housing other establishments such as banks, insurance offices or markets.

However, if a building accommodates only garment units, new apparel factories may be approved for BGMEA membership, according to a notification issued by the trade body.

The decisions were taken at the BGMEA board's third meeting held on November 5 to promote a sustainable ready-made garment (RMG) industry for the country's socio-economic development, the notification issued on December 18 said.

Under the new criteria, a woven or knit garment factory must have at least 100 machines, while a sweater factory must have a minimum of 60 machines. In addition, a factory must have a minimum floor space of 15,000 square feet to qualify for BGMEA membership.

In cases of membership reinstatement, factories will be required to submit updated trade licences, tax certificates and factory licences along with clearance of all outstanding dues.

Asked about the decision, BGMEA Senior Vice President Inamul Haq Khan said the measures were taken to ensure minimum standards and to prevent untoward incidents.

He said fire incidents in BGMEA member factories have declined significantly over the past several years, claiming that such incidents are now rare in BGMEA-listed units.

"We won't provide membership to any sick industry," he said, adding that BGMEA, as an owners' trade body, is often held responsible whenever an incident occurs in a garment factory, regardless of its membership status.

Most non-compliance and wage-related issues are found in factories that are not BGMEA members but operate under national initiatives, he said, adding that it is the government's responsibility to oversee standards and compliance in such units.

Citing a recent fire incident at a chemical factory in the capital, Mr Khan claimed that a nearby non-BGMEA garment factory caught fire from sparks originating from the chemical unit.

According to BGMEA's official website, the association currently has around 4,500 member factories, of which about 40 per cent are knitwear and sweater manufacturers, while the remaining 60 per cent are woven garment manufacturers.

BGMEA member factories account for 100 per cent of woven garment exports, more than 95 per cent of sweater shipments and around half of the country's light knitwear exports.

Bangladesh earned US$39.34 billion from RMG exports in the last fiscal year (FY25), according to official data.

munni_fe@yahoo.com