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WORLD NEWS Friday 17 January 2020
European clothing brand group for safety leaving Bangladesh

By JULHAS ALAM officials said Thursday was
Associated Press planned for May, follows a
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) protracted tussle with gar-
— A group set up by Eu- ment manufacturers who
ropean clothing brands wanted Bangladesh's gov-
that has monitored factory ernment to form a local
safety in Bangladesh for watch group to monitor
years plans to leave, with the sector.
its duties being assumed "Accord will be leaving
by a local group including Bangladesh and we are
unions and industry figures forming a national collab-
in the world's second-larg- orative council in which
est garment manufacturer. brands, unions and industry
The European group and will be together to moni-
a separate North Ameri- tor factories," Rubana Huq,
can group were formed president of the Bangla-
after the collapse of Rana desh Garment Manufac-
Plaza, a building housing turers and Exporters As-
five garment factories that sociation, told The Associ-
made clothing for interna- ated Press. "We are taking
tional brands. The collapse over from Accord all of its
in 2013 killed at least 1,134 resources and will follow
people and was one of their protocols but it will be
several fatal accidents in based on the national con- In this April 19, 2018 photo, Bangladeshis work at Snowtex garment factory in Dhamrai, near
the country's garment in- text." Dhaka, Bangladesh.
dustry that were blamed The new council will oper- Associated Press
on safety lapses. ate within Bangladesh's functions currently carried The Accord's tenure origi- The manufacturers ac-
The uproar that followed regulatory framework and out by the Accord," it said. nally expired in 2018, but cused Accord of recom-
the collapse prompt- cooperate with the gov- The Accord existed along- the group wanted to stay mending "unnecessary and
ed about 190 European ernment, a joint statement side another monitoring under some conditions repeated" measures that
brands including Marks from the Accord and the group for North American against the will of the gov- put pressure on the indus-
and Spencer, H&M, Tesco BGMEA said Wednesday. brands called Alliance. It ernment and the garment try. Accord has inspected
and Carrefour to form the "It will retain all health and left the country on Dec. 31, manufacturers. 1,650 factories so far and
Accord on Fire and Build- safety inspections and re- 2018, as scheduled after It went to court and ob- recommended remedia-
ing Safety in Bangladesh. mediation, safety training inspecting about 1,000 fac- tained an extension until tion work to make them
Accord's departure, which and complaints handling
tories. Feb. 13, 2020. compliant.q
Lesotho leader soon to step
down as murder probe

continues

By HERBERT MOYO appraisal of the unfolding
Associated Press political developments in
MASERU, Lesotho (AP) — the tiny nation, and later
The prime minister of Le- said the Lesotho leader
sotho soon will retire, a had shared his intentions.
government minister said The killing of the prime
Thursday, as investiga- minister’s ex-wife, Lipolelo
tions continue into the Thabane, occurred two
murder of his former wife. days before his inaugura-
Prime Minister Thomas tion for a second term in
Thabane communicated 2017, and two years after
his intention to retire to a court ruled that Lipolelo
the southern African na- was the lawful first lady
tion’s King Letsie III, cabi- and entitled to benefits.
net ministers and an en- Police this week said they
voy of neighboring South were searching for the
Africa, Communications country’s first lady, Mae-
Minister Thesele Maserib- saiah Thabane, for ques-
ane told reporters. tioning in the killing, while
Neither Maseribane nor the police commissioner
the South African envoy, said the “noose” was
Jeff Radebe, said when tightening around the
the prime minister would prime minister and those
step down except to say close to him. Neither the
the process would begin prime minister nor his wife,
soon. Radebe met with Maesaiah, have com-
the 80-year-old prime mented publicly on the
minister Thursday for an police remarks.q