Rana Plaza Disaster: A Decade After
The terrific collapse of the Rana Plaza building on 24 April 2013, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, led to the death of at least 1,132 people and injured more than 2,500.
The Rana Plaza disaster serves as a tragic reminder of the need for safe and fair working conditions for workers in the global garment industry, and the importance of corporate responsibility and accountability in supply chains.
Undoubtedly, Bangladesh’s GDP has shown spurt growth in past years due to an increased number of people being employed in the textile industry. There has been a significant decline in the unemployment rate as well but the working conditions are beyond pathetic. Workers are forced to work in inhumane conditions under deleterious circumstances. For some of the lowest wages of the world, millions of people, primarily the female population, are exposed every day to an unsafe work environment with a high incidence of work-related accidents and deaths, as well as occupational diseases. Most of the factories do not meet even the basic standards required by building and construction legislation. As a result, deaths from fire incidents and building collapses are recurring and persistent phenomena in Bangladesh and other developing countries.
This is clearly a vicious cycle that traps the poor and miserable garment workers. The working conditions for garment workers in Bangladesh have been a cause for alarming concern, with issues including low wages, long working hours, unsafe working conditions, lack of job security, and limited access to labor rights. The Rana Plaza tragedy was a warning that shed light on the working conditions of garment workers in Bangladesh. The incident brought attention to several challenges and issues faced by garment workers in the country, including:
Low wages: Garment workers in Bangladesh often earn low wages, which are frequently below the country’s minimum wage standards. Many workers struggle to meet their basic needs, and some live in poverty despite working for extremely long hours.
Long working hours: Garment workers in Bangladesh often work long hours, sometimes exceeding the legal limit of 48 hours per week. This results in physical and mental health issues, exhaustion, and consequently no work-life balance.
Lack of job security: Many garment workers in Bangladesh work on short-term contracts or as daily wage laborers, which leaves them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. They often face uncertainty about their employment status, lack benefits such as sick leave or paid vacation, and are at risk of losing their jobs without any proper prior notice or compensation. People are hired or fired only according to the requirements of the factory.
Unsafe working conditions: Safety standards in the majority of garment factories in Bangladesh have been inadequate, leading to accidents, fires, and building collapses, as seen in the Rana Plaza tragedy. Many factories lack proper fire exits, ventilation, and other safety measures, putting workers at risk of injuries or even death.
Limited access to labor rights: Garment workers in Bangladesh face challenges in organizing and forming labor unions to protect their rights due to various factors, including restrictive labor laws, anti-union discrimination, and lack of awareness about labor rights. This makes it difficult for workers to collectively bargain for better wages, working conditions, and other benefits.
Following the Rana Plaza tragedy, efforts have been made to bring about reforms and improve the working conditions of garment workers in Bangladesh. Let’s dig into a few key reforms:
Improved Safety Regulations and Inspections: The government of Bangladesh, along with various international organizations, brands, and labor unions, has taken steps to improve safety regulations in garment factories. The National Tripartite Plan of Action on Fire Safety and Structural Integrity was established in 2013 to conduct inspections, provide training, and enforce safety measures in garment factories. The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, a legally binding agreement between brands and trade unions, was also established to oversee safety inspections and remediation efforts in factories.
Workers’ Rights and Unionization: Efforts have been made to promote workers’ rights and unionization in the garment industry in Bangladesh. The government has introduced labor law reforms to protect workers’ rights, including the right to form trade unions, collective bargaining, and workplace safety. However, challenges remain, and there have been reports of anti-union activities and harassment of labor activists.
Social Compliance and Transparency: Brands and retailers sourcing from Bangladesh have taken steps to promote social compliance and transparency in their supply chains. Many international brands have adopted codes of conduct and conduct regular audits of their supplier factories to ensure compliance with safety, labor, and environmental standards.
Capacity Building and Training: Efforts have been made to improve the capacity of factory owners, managers, and workers through training programs on safety, health, and workers’ rights. These programs aim to increase awareness, knowledge, and skills to create safer working environments and empower workers to assert their rights.
Although, since the Rana Plaza disaster, approximately 109 accidents have occurred. Among these, at least 35 were textile factory incidents in which 491 workers were injured and 27 lost their lives. In the absence of a well-functioning labor inspection system and of appropriate enforcement mechanisms, decent work and life in dignity are still far from reality for the vast majority of workers in the garment industry and their families. For instance, the Tarzeen Fashions Factory was another disastrous episode in which around 112 workers lost their lives in a tragic fire accident, which seemed to happen just five months before the Rana Plaza Disaster on the outskirts of Dhaka.
Such tragic incidents constitute among the worst industrial accidents on record, awoke the world to the poor labor conditions faced by workers in the ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh.
Unequivocally, the green fields of Bangladesh are home to the primary center of textile exports constituting garment industries with annual revenue of $34 billion despite that there’s economic disparity beyond our imagination.
