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Labor Global Supply Chains And The Garment Industry In South Asia: Bangladesh After Rana Plaza (Routledge Contemporary South Asia Series)

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On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed in Savar, Bangladesh, killing 1,134 people and injuring over 2,500. The disaster was a wake-up call for the global fashion industry, exposing the dangerous working conditions in many garment factories in developing countries.

In the years since the Rana Plaza collapse, there have been significant efforts to improve safety standards in garment factories in Bangladesh. However, many challenges remain. The country's garment industry is still plagued by low wages, long hours, and dangerous working conditions.

This article provides an overview of the Rana Plaza disaster and its aftermath. It discusses the challenges that remain in the garment industry in Bangladesh and the efforts that are being made to improve working conditions.

Labor, Global Supply Chains, and the Garment Industry in South Asia: Bangladesh after Rana Plaza (Routledge Contemporary South Asia Series)

by Robert E. Brown

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
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The Rana Plaza Collapse

The Rana Plaza garment factory was located in Savar, a suburb of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The factory produced clothing for a number of major Western retailers, including Benetton, Gap, and H&M.

On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building collapsed. The collapse was caused by structural defects in the building. The building had been constructed without proper permits and had been illegally added to.

The collapse of the Rana Plaza factory was a tragedy. It was the deadliest industrial disaster in Bangladesh's history and one of the deadliest industrial disasters in the world.

The Aftermath of the Rana Plaza Collapse

The Rana Plaza collapse had a significant impact on the global fashion industry. The disaster exposed the dangerous working conditions in many garment factories in developing countries.

In the aftermath of the collapse, there were widespread calls for reform in the garment industry. Many retailers pledged to improve their safety standards and to work with their suppliers to improve working conditions in their factories.

The Bangladesh government also took steps to improve safety standards in garment factories. The government passed new laws and regulations and increased inspections of factories.

The Challenges that Remain

Despite the efforts that have been made to improve safety standards in garment factories in Bangladesh, many challenges remain.

The country's garment industry is still plagued by low wages, long hours, and dangerous working conditions. Many factories are still not compliant with safety standards.

In addition, the Bangladesh government has been criticized for not ng enough to enforce safety standards. The government has been accused of being too lenient on factory owners and of not ng enough to protect workers' rights.

The Efforts that are being Made

There are a number of efforts being made to improve working conditions in garment factories in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety is a legally binding agreement between over 200 global brands and retailers and trade unions. The Accord requires signatories to improve safety standards in their factories and to work with their suppliers to improve working conditions.

The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety is a similar agreement between over 20 global brands and retailers and trade unions. The Alliance requires signatories to improve safety standards in their factories and to work with their suppliers to improve working conditions.

The Bangladesh government has also taken steps to improve safety standards in garment factories. The government has passed new laws and regulations and increased inspections of factories.

The Rana Plaza collapse was a tragedy that exposed the dangerous working conditions in many garment factories in developing countries. In the years since the collapse, there have been significant efforts to improve safety standards in garment factories in Bangladesh. However, many challenges remain. The country's garment industry is still plagued by low wages, long hours, and dangerous working conditions. The Bangladesh government has been criticized for not ng enough to enforce safety standards and to protect workers' rights.

Despite the challenges, there are a number of efforts being made to improve working conditions in garment factories in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety are two important initiatives that are working to improve safety standards in factories and to protect workers' rights. The Bangladesh government has also taken steps to improve safety standards.

It is important to continue to support these efforts and to hold the Bangladesh government and the garment industry accountable for improving working conditions in garment factories.

Labor, Global Supply Chains, and the Garment Industry in South Asia: Bangladesh after Rana Plaza (Routledge Contemporary South Asia Series)

by Robert E. Brown

4.5 out of 5