The inspectors reported yesterday that 40 garment factories have been inspected during the first day of the campaign on Saturday.

The inspectors began the drive splitting into ten teams in different zones around 1:30pm and ended the first day's drive around 8:00pm.

Stung by the tragedy in Chittagong KTS garment factory, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), has taken the crash course to disseminate information on extinguishing fire and ensuring safe evacuation in the event of any fire incident.

Amid growing criticisms from all quarters, including the buyers, about the growth of the export industry caring little about factory rules and working conditions, the BGMEA is now directly monitoring the programme through its safety and labour cell.

Sources in the BGMEA said a total of 21 additional staff members have been appointed on temporary basis to assist the existing BGMEA workforce in successfully conducting the entire programme.

A total of 10 fire-safety teams have been formed to work in Dhaka, Savar, Gazipur and Narayanganj while two others will work in Chittagong.

Under the programme, mock firefighting operations along with evacuation is being practiced at the factories.

The Association earlier issued a circular asking all the member-factories to depute one representative from the management and another from the workers to assist the safety teams.

When contacted, BGMEA Vice-president (finance) Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury Arun told UNB the objective of the programme is to inform the workers that fire needs time to spread and the workers have enough time to make their exit from a scene if they do not scramble.

"Practical lessons are being given by setting up mock fires and asking the workers to get out of the factory in a disciplined manner," Arun said.

"Stampede caused by panic is the main reason behind the deaths, rather than the fire itself," he said, adding that the owners concerned would also be imparted training simultaneously.

The BGMEA executive said they have already appointed a retired principal of the fire-service academy and some other retired Fire Brigade personnel to strengthen the safety teams.

He informed the special programme would continue in a full swing for next three months. "We may extend the time for another three months if we fail to cover all the factories during the stipulated timeframe," he added.

In 2001, BGMEA took out similar fire drills that brought a positive result for the industry. No death in fire or stampede in the industrial units occurred the following two years.

Meanwhile, 10 monitoring teams, each led by a BGMEA director, will continue to work parallel with the safety teams to ensure fire safety and deal with other compliance issues.

The monitoring teams have so far inspected 150 factories, shooting video footages of the non-compliant factories.

Particularly pressured by international buyers following the KTS garment inferno that left 55 workers dead, the BGMEA formed the 10 monitoring teams to shoot video footages of the non-compliant garment factories across the country to take punitive actions.