The Walt Disney Company, the US entertainment giant, has decided to take apparel from Bangladesh again after nearly a decade-long suspension following incidents of a deadly fire and building collapse.

Citing a source, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said Walt Disney had considered the inclusion of the country in its Permitted Sourcing Country list with International Labour Standard audits.

Disney was yet to officially announce the decision, bdnews24.com reported.

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said it was a recognition of the “all-out progress and transformation in the industry, particularly in the area of workplace safety, social standards and environmental sustainability”.

Earlier, Walt Disney Company left Bangladesh in 2013 citing poor workplace safety and poor compliance following the twin Dhaka incidents - Rana Plaza building collapse in April 2013 and Tazreen Fashion fire in November 2012.

Before leaving Bangladesh, Disney used to purchase USD 500 million worth of garment items like sports items, jerseys, T-shirts, legging and jagging from Bangladesh, Hassan said.

The BGMEA said the industry has made “unprecedented” efforts and investments to ensure safety covering fire, electrical and structural integrity, a robust follow-up of factory remediation, to create a culture of safety while promoting the wellbeing of the workers over the past years.

(SAM)