Bangladesh’s Ministry of Textiles and Jute has taken a major step toward strengthening regulation of the textile and apparel industry by initiating the formulation of Textile (Industry Registration) Rules under the Textile Act 2018. The move aims to officially bring all textile and clothing factories under the regulatory authority of the Department of Textiles (DoT).
A draft guideline for factory registration has already been prepared, and the ministry has sought feedback and recommendations from industry stakeholders, according to local Bangla media reports.
Under the proposed framework, apparel and textile factories will be required to fulfil a wide range of environmental, safety, and workplace compliance standards in order to obtain a formal operating licence from the DoT.
Strict Environmental, Safety and Labour Compliance Proposed
According to the draft rules, factories must submit updated versions of all required legal and operational documents as part of the licensing process. The installation of fire extinguishers on factory premises will be mandatory, while the discharge of untreated industrial waste into rivers or water bodies will be strictly prohibited.
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The draft also places strong emphasis on labour rights and decent working conditions. Factory owners will not be permitted to employ child workers and must provide:
- Daycare centres
- Maternity leave with full benefits for female workers
To address water sustainability concerns, the ministry has proposed that factories must harvest rainwater to reduce dependency on groundwater resources.
In addition, the government has proposed a registration fee structure based on the level of factory investment, indicating a tiered licensing system.
From an administrative perspective, the draft outlines a clear timeline: once an application is submitted, the registrar must issue an inspection order within three days, and the inspection report must be submitted within ten days. If the factory meets all eligibility criteria, a registration certificate will be issued for three years.
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