Rana Plaza building collapse, April 2013
On 24 April 2013 an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Bangladesh's capital. The death toll reached over 1,100. The building Rana Plaza housed Phantom Apparels Ltd., New Wave Style Ltd and New Wave Brothers Ltd. garment factories which reportedly supply major brands including Benetton, Dress Barn, KiK, Mango, The Children's Place, Primark and Wal-Mart.
Reports made the connection between alleged substandard construction and the triggering of the deadly collapse. Workers in the building alleged that it had developed severe cracks the day before but they were reassured by a factory manager that it was safe to enter. Trade unions and labour rights organizations such as Clean Clothes Campaign, IndustriALL Global Union and International Labor Rights Forum called for immediate action on health and safety from international brands that used suppliers in the building, and asked them to sign on to a Bangladesh fire and building safety agreement. There were also calls for the Bangladesh Govt. to allow workers' freedom of association. This page tracks developments immediately after the building collapse, and over the period that followed.
Latest additions to this page
Weekly Update on 2 Apr:
Bangladesh collecting details of deadly factory collapse victims for compensation amid protest, Canadian Press, 24 Mar 2014
BRAC USA Announces Renewed Push for Bangladesh Garment Workers, 26 Mar 2014
3 Retailers Give Aid to Bangladesh Workers, Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, 28 Mar 2014
Identities of 146 missing Rana Plaza workers listed, bdnews24.com, 30 Mar 2014
Rana Plaza survivor begins European tour [Bangladesh], Clean Clothes Campaign, 31 Mar 2014
Buyers also responsible, bdnews.com, 1 Apr 2014
Other recent updates:
Bangladeshi workers seek support from U.S. students, Barb Kucera, 27 March 2014
Barcelona to host sustainable fashion show on April 24, Fibre2fashion, 31 March 2014
UK minister in RMG 'check' [Bangladesh], bdnews24.com, 31 March 2014
Weekly Update on 19 Mar:
Rana Plaza brands must pay compensation by 9am on 24 April, Industriall Global Union, 7 March 2014
Rana Plaza Arrangement, Rana Plaza Arrangement, March 2014
Primark Breaks Rank on Bangladesh Compensation, Christina Passariello, Wall Street Journal, 17 March 2014
Rana Plaza survivors fearful as they continue to work in garment factories, Saad Hammadi & Jason Burke, Guardian, 16 March 2014
Labour rights, safety standards below required level, Rezaul Karim, Financial Express, 16 March 2014
Testimonies and videos
- How will we survive? Testimonies of injured workers of Bangladesh Rana Plaza Collapse, Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights, 16 May 2013
- [video and transcript] As Bangladesh Toll Hits 400, Calls Grow to Grant Workers the Same Protections as Labels They Make, Interview with Charlie Kernaghan of IGLHR on Democracy Now, 1 May 2013. “Nothing is going to change in Bangladesh until the workers have the right to organize.”
- [video] Bangladesh government scared to enforce regulations, BBC News, 24 Apr 2013
- [video] Dhaka building collapse: Dozens found alive in rubble, BBC News, 25 Apr 2013
- [video] Dhaka collapse: Western companies need to act right now, BBC News, 25 April 2013[video] Interviews with building collapse survivors, Democracy Now, 25 Apr 2013
- [video] Dhaka building collapse: Fears for hundreds still missing, BBC News, 26 Apr 2013
- [video] Western companies 'should share blame' for Bangladesh factory conditions, Laura Kuenssberg, ITV, 30 Apr 2013 – interview with Bangladeshi High Commissioner to London, Mohamed Mijarul Quayes
Commentaries and debate
- Flee Sweatshops or Stay and Change Them?, "Room for Debate" in New York Times, 2 May 2013:
- Address the Real Challenges, Michael Posner, former Assistant US Secretary of State for Democracy, Human rights and Labor & professor of business & society at New York Univ. Stern School of Business
- Responsibility Is Local, Not Global, Jagdish Bhagwati, professor of economics, Columbia Univ.
- Disney's Disgrace, Liana Foxvog & Judy Gearhart, Intl. Labor Rights Forum
- Disney’s Decision Was Appropriate, Adam Kanzer, Domini Social Investments
- Cutting Off Trade Would Hurt Workers, Kimberly Ann Elliott, Center for Global Development
We invited Disney to comment; it referred us to its Permitted Sourcing Countries Policy, which had been updated on 13 Mar 2013; and "Some Retailers Rethink Role in Bangladesh", Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, 1 May 2013. - Ten lessons from the Bangladesh tragedy, CSRAsia, 8 May 2012
- The Bangladesh factory collapse: why CSR is more important than ever, Christine Bader, in Guardian, 7 May 2013
- After the Savar tragedy, time for an international minimum wage, Muhammad Yunus (Nobel laureate from Bangladesh & founder of Grameen Bank), in Guardian, 12 May 2013
- The Lesson of Rana Plaza For CSR: Worker Empowerment The Key To Safety?, Francesca Rheannon, CSRWire, 20 May 2013
Selection of media coverage
In chronological order:
- Building Collapse in Bangladesh Leaves Scores Dead, Julfikar Ali Manik & Jim Yardley, New York Times, Apr 24, 2013
- Bangladeshi worker : In one minute everything collapsed, BBC News, 24 Apr 2013
- Joe Fresh, other companies had suppliers in collapsed Bangladesh site; 149 killed, Julhas Alam, Associated Press, 24 Apr 2013, (includes statements from The Children’s Place, Dress Barn, Primark, Cato, Mango, Wal-Mart)
- Bangladesh building collapse: anger amid desperate search for survivors, Zain Mahmood, Jason Burke & Simon Neville, Guardian (UK), 25 Apr (includes statements from Primark, Mango, Matalan)
- Bangladesh Building Collapse Due to Shoddy Construction, National Geographic News, 25 Apr 2013
- Was your T-shirt made in the Dhaka garment factory? You have no idea, Susanna Rustin, Guardian (UK), 25 Apr 2013
- Bangladesh building collapse shows woeful conditions in garment industry, links to retailers, A. M. Ahad, Associated Press, 25 Apr 2013 (includes statements from Wal-Mart, Primark, The Children’s Place, Dress Barn, Benetton, Mango).
- Dhaka Collapse : Primark to pay victims compensation, BBC News, 29 Apr 2013
- Retailers Split on Contrition After Collapse of Factories, Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, 30 Apr 2013 (includes statements from Benetton, Cato Corporation, El Corte Ingles, Lablow, The Children’s Place & Primark)
- Shoppers Face Hurdles in Finding Ethical Clothing, Anne D’Innocenzio, ABC News, 30 Apr 2013
- EU considers trade action after Bangladesh factory collapse, Ruma Paul, Reuters, 30 Apr 2013
- The Deadly Cost of Cheap Clothing: Dangers in Bangladesh Garment Industry, Abir Abdullah, Alexia Foundation, 1 May 2013
- Bangladesh building owner faces murder complaint, Reuters, 5 May 2013
- “Retailers, labour activists wrangle over factory safety in Bangladesh”, Bloomberg, 6 May
- US companies still resisting Bangladesh worker safety deal, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 May 2013
- Walmart checks Bangladesh factories; retailer accord elusive, Reuters, 15 May 2013
- As Firms Line Up on Factories, Wal-Mart Plans Solo Effort, New York Times, 15 May 2013
- Bangladesh panel to recommend life in prison over building collapse, Reuters, 21 May 2013
- Soul-Searching in Spanish Fashion After Bangladesh Factory Deaths, Matt Moffett, Wall Street Journal, 23 May 2013
- US Says Bangladesh Factory Safety Is Shared Burden Of Western Brands, Country's Industry, Intl. Business Times, 28 May 2013
- US urges garment buyers to stay engaged with Bangladesh, Reuters, 27 May 2013
Statements by trade unions and NGOs
In chronological order:
- [français] Collectif Ethique sur l’étiquette, Peuples Solidaires & Intersyndicale Camaïeu :
[PDF] Effondrement du Rana Plaza au Bangladesh : 6 semaines après le drame, les victimes et leurs familles attendent toujours d’être indemnisées - « CAMAÏEU doit indemniser les victimes ! », 7 juin 2013
- Camaïeu : [PDF] Après avoir signé l’Accord sur la sécurité et la sûreté des usines au Bangladesh, Camaïeu s’engage dans l’indemnisation des victimes du Rana Plaza, 13 juin 2013 - Clean Clothes Campaign: Activists protest fashion brands' failure to pay Bangladesh disaster victims compensation, 24 May 2013
- [CCC Petition:] No More Broken Promises: demand compensation for fire and collapse survivors, 24 May 2013 - IndustriALL: Investor warning: risk shoppers turned off by Gap’s stand on Bangladesh safety deal , 21 May 2013
- [français] Peuples solidaires & Collectif Ethique sur l’étiquette : [PDF] Un grand pas en avant pour la sécurité des usines d'habillement au Bangladesh: 31 entreprises signent l’Accord pour la sécurité des usines, 16 mai 2013
- IndustriALL, UNI, Clean Clothes Campaign, Workers Rights Consortium: We made it! – Global Breakthrough as Retail Brands sign up to Bangladesh Factory Safety Deal, 16 May 2013
- Peuples solidaires & Collectif Ethique sur l’étiquette: [français] [PDF] Un grand pas en avant pour la sécurité des usines d'habillement au Bangladesh: 31 entreprises signent l’Accord pour la sécurité des usines, 16 mai 2013
- FIDH and ODHIKAR: FIDH and ODHIKAR call on UN Working Group to "clearly set out the responsibilities of all actors involved in human rights abuses in the garment sector of Bangladesh,15 May 2013
- SumOfUs: Gap can stop this for a 10c a garment, SumofUs, 15 May 2013 - (Gap latest statement on Rana Plaza (13 May) [PDF])
- Clean Clothes Campaign: CCC welcomes H&M and Inditex decision to sign legally binding Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh , 13 May 2013
- International Service for Human Rights: Bangladesh tragedy puts focus on human rights and corporate accountability – Commentary: The work of human rights defenders must be supported and protected, Phil Lynch and Michael Ineichen of International Service for Human Rights, in Global Post, 7 May 2013
- Center for Trade Union and Human Rights: On the death of over 400 garments workers in Bangladesh, , 7 May 2013
- Jus Semper Global Alliance: The Catastrophe of Bangladesh - An emblematic case of global capitalism [PDF], Alejandro Teitelbaum, May 2013 - También en español: La catástrofe de Bangladesh - Botón de muestra del capitalismo mundializado
- IndustriALL: 15 May deadline set for Bangladesh safety plan, 30 Apr 2013
- Maquila Solidarity Network: What you can do about the deadly factory collapse in Bangladesh, , 29 Apr 2013
- Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility: Latest Garment Factory Tragedy Leaves Investors Deeply Saddened and Short on Patience, 25 Apr 2013
- Industriall Global Union: Make garment factories in Bangladesh safe, 25 Apr 2013
- Bangladesh: Tragedy Shows Urgency of Worker Protections, Human Rights Watch, 25 Apr 2013
- Clean Clothes Campaign: Labels Primark and Mango found after factory collapse Bangladesh, 24 Apr 2013
- International Labor Rights Forum: ILRF Urges US Brands and Retailers to Join Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement, 24 Apr 2013
Statements by intl. organizations
EU
- EU Parliament calls for preventive action in Bangladesh, fibre2fashion.com, 24 May 2013
- full text of resolution - Joint Statement by HR/VP Catherine Ashton and EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht following the recent building collapse in Bangladesh, European Commission, 30 Apr 2013
ILO
- Bangladesh agrees on action plan to improve working conditions, ILO says, UN News Centre, 4 May
- Conclusions of the ILO's high level mission to Bangladesh – Joint statement issued by the tripartite partners at the conclusion of the ILO's high-level mission sent to Dhaka, Bangladesh, following the Rana Plaza Building collapse, 4 May 2013
United Nations
- Secretary-General urges businesses, consumers to better know their supply chains, UN News Centre, 6 May 2013
- UN expert body urges international brands to work with Bangladesh to prevent another garment disaster, UN Working Group on business & human rights, 8 May 2013
Statements by multi-stakeholder groups
- Social Accountability International: Social Accountability International Response: Rana Plaza Building Collapse in Bangladesh, 24 Apr 2013
- Business Social Compliance Initiative: BSCI saddened by the collapse of Rana Plaza in Savar, Bangladesh, 24 Apr 2013
Company responses to call for Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement
In addition to highlighting statements by companies in the media above, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre sought responses from the following companies to specific calls by Clean Clothes Campaign and International Labor Rights Forum for them to sign on to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh [PDF].
Two companies (which were not sourcing from Rana Plaza), had previously agreed to the original version of the Fire and Building Safety Agreement: PVH Corp (announcement here [PDF]) and Tchibo (news item here).
On 13 April, C&A, H&M, Inditex, Primark and Tesco announced that they would join the agreement. Many others followed: by 16 May over 30 brands had signed on, covering more than 1,000 factories in Bangladesh. Some US firms are showing more reluctance to join the agreement, see "US companies still resisting Bangladesh worker safety deal," San Francisco Chronicle.
Companies we invited to respond:
Benetton - 8 May 2013 statement [DOC] - has joined the agreement
Bonmarche – 30 Apr 2013 statement [DOC] - has not yet joined the agreement
Carrefour - has now joined the agreement
Cato Fashions - did not respond
Children’s Place - has not yet responded
El Corte Ingles - has now joined the agreement
H&M – 7 May 2013 statement [DOC] - has joined the agreement
Gap - 13 May 2013 statement [PDF] - has not yet joined the agreement
Walmart - 14 May 2013 statement - has not yet joined the agreement
Joe Fresh – 29 April 2013 statement [DOC] - has not yet joined the agreement
Mango – 7 May 2013 statement [DOC] - has joined the agreement
Primark – statements made on 29 Apr, 26 Apr and 24 Apr 2013 - has joined the agreement