The Ongoing Fight For Garment Worker Rights A Decade After Rana Plaza

Twelve years have passed since the tragic incident of Rana Plaza in Savar, Bangladesh, took place. This incident took the lives of 1,100 garment workers and injured thousands of workers. Still, the echoes of that devastating incident are continuously buzzing across the global fashion industry. The fight for morals, safety and justice for garment workers is still a long way from being over. 

As we commemorate this significant and tragic date, it is clear that Rana Plaza was not a structural failure, but it was a moral one. It revealed the weakness of human rights in supply chains and the cost of uncontrolled industrial ambition. Though certain reforms have been made, the root causes remain unsolved. In this blog, we will discuss the ongoing fight for the rights of garment workers after a decade since the incident. 

Market size and potential :

Before we go ahead, we need to understand the total quantum of the business being handled by RMG sector and extent of Offshoring it . One has to appreciate that Total Asian Clothing Export Market (2023) was over $400 billion andKey Players have been  China, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Pakistan. These clothes are getting stitched for major destinations like U.S., EU, Australia, New Zealand, among others. Undoubtedly, Bangladesh  has established itself as a Global Powerhouse in Ready-Made Garments (RMG) where the total exports in the year 2023  have been For $47.38 billion. Bangladesh   has emerged asWorld's second-largest apparel exporter after China because RMG sector contributes ~84% of total national exports.Top Export Markets are United States (~$9 billion), New Zealand( $380 million) and Australia is coming up with increased Significant share, steadily growing. this industry has given employment to nearly 4,000,000 workers were major. Majority of the workers are women and supplying to nearly 200+ global brands, so it is the backbone of fast fashion supply chain.  Noticeable point is that Bangladesh is just not a supplier,Rather  It has been  a cornerstone of the global clothing industry powering shelves across the US Australia, New Zealand, and vast RMG ecosystem.

The author of blog has also  observed  change in the trend in 2025 and noticed that  in the year 2025, a market size shall be around between $1.8 to 2.6$ trillion, and shall be driven by expanding economies like China and India. However, recent challenges and the tariff war and the likely supply chain disruptions due to many other circumstances are inevitable . Countries are  now focusing on diversification of sourcing to mitigate the risk and, trying to compete the rise of digital fashion in the meta verse at the same time.

Rana Plaza: A Disaster Built on Negligence

Rana Plaza was an eight-story building which consisted of garment factories, a bank and shops. This building was established on a filled-up pond; therefore, the foundation was weak, which could never support such an upward drive. The construction was done with poor-quality materials, and other floors were constructed without proper design and ideas. Diesel generators were kept on the top floors, which added extra stress to the weak foundation.

On April 24th, 2013, the building collapsed, and more than 4000 workers were trapped inside the building. Most of the garment workers were young women stitching clothes for global brands. This incident was the most risky garment factory incident in history, and it revealed the deep-rooted mistakes in building regulations, inspections and corporate accountability.

Behind the Stichting: The Hidden Costs Paid by Garment Workers

The cracks in Rana Plaza had been discovered on the day before the collapse. Despite the authorities' recommended evacuation, garment workers were instructed to return to work with the threat of withheld wages. No one heard their voice, and it led to high casualties when the incident happened during the morning rush hour.  In many videos, we will still find  that the survivors are  suffering from physical injuries, trauma and economic instabilities. Many workers didn’t get enough compensation. Some of the survivors are not in a condition to work. 

We can say that this is not just a story of one building, but the story of an overall industry established on fragile backs.

What are the Causes of Failure?

The main cause of the Rana Plaza collapse is the hazardous working environment and worker exploitation. The other major causes are as follows.

• Inappropriate land for high-rise building construction.
• Use of inferior-quality materials during construction.
• Unsafe working conditions, including overcrowding, no emergency exits or evacuation plans.
• Absence of internal safety audits.
• Poor regulation and enforcement of building codes.

Underpaid and Overworked: Crisis Faced by Garment Workers

However, even after a decade, many problems still exist. Labour exploitation, insufficient wages and hazardous working conditions remain common in some areas of the garment industry. The crisis faced by the workers is as follows:

Risky working conditions

• Overpopulated and poorly ventilated factories.
• No emergency exits or evacuation plans.

Exploitation of workers

• Workers have to work long working hours for low wages.
• There is no job security.
• Most of the women come from low-income backgrounds; therefore, they are easy to force to do the work.

Fear-Driven Labours

• Workers have not been given any legal rights or protection.
• Workers remained silent despite visible risks because no one heard their voices.

Global Supply Chain Pressure

• The rapid growth of fashion brands is driven by the demand for fast output.
• Unrealistic targets.

Power Imbalance

• No empowered working unions.
• Brands disconnected from ground realities.

However, many activists continue to uphold the stronger enforcement of safety regulations, sufficient wages, and safe working conditions to prevent future tragedies. But as an individual, I think basic rights shouldn’t require bravery.

Major Human Rights Violation in the Rana Plaza Incident

This tragic incident of the Rana Plaza collapse is responsible for the violation of human rights, which includes:

1. Right to Life and Safe Working Conditions
Despite visible cracks and warnings from authorities, garment workers were forced to enter the unsafe building, which resulted in 1,129 deaths of the workers. (It violated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 3.)

2. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Article 7 recognizes “the right of everyone to the enjoyment of just and favorable   conditions   of work which ensure, in particular, safe and healthy working conditions.The factory owners and global supply chain actors failed to ensure basic safety, directly contributing to mass loss of life.

3. Freedom from Coercion :Workers were reportedly threatened with job loss or   withheld wages if they did not return to work, even after safety risks were known.
This violates ILO Convention 155 on Occupational Safety and Health and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, especially the freedom of choice in employment. Workers’ consent was obtained under economic duress, compromising their right to freedom from forced or coerced labor

4. Corporate Responsibility under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) state  that businesses have a responsibility to respect human rights, which includes Avoiding harm to workers directly or indirectly through supply chains,Conducting due diligence and Remediation for adverse impacts.against these Principle, Many international brands  were sourcing from Rana Plaza  and therefore failed to implement due diligence mechanisms or ensure ethical compliance in their supply chain.

Lessons from the Rana Plaza Disaster:

The Rana Plaza tragedy represents one of the most tragic and visible breaches of human rights in the global supply chain system, and has since become a case study in how neglect, coercion, and systemic exploitation in the name of profit can destroy lives.

The Rana Plaza disaster provides painful but strong lessons-

1. Human Rights are Important to the Global Supply Chain and Workers should be given a safe working environment, which is not optional-it is a basic right.
2. Workers should raise their Voice so that The problems of workers should be heard attentively; otherwise, we will face many incidents similar to Rana Plaza.
3. Collaboration is the key factor where Brands, unions, society and government should work together to bring the change.
4. Sufficient Compensation to Victims and survivors should be given adequate compensation on time.
5. Global brands must drive the  Responsibility  and it must be learned by by them that Offshoring business does not exonerate them from responsibility of ensuring Human right  

Immediate steps taken by stakeholders :

1.Marks & Spencer and H&M:
Financial Contributions: Both brands committed to improving factory safety in Bangladesh. Under the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, they agreed to contribute up to $500,000 annually towards independent factory inspections and the installation of fire safety measures. ​The Guardian+1The Guardian+1

2. Government Initiatives:
Summoning Retailers: The UK government summoned major retailers to ensure collective efforts in preventing future factory disasters. This led to agreements where brands, including H&M and Marks & Spencer, pledged funds for safety improvements. ​The Guardian+1The Guardian+1

3.Compensation for Victims and Families
Compensation Funds: Efforts were made to establish compensation funds for the victims and their families. Brands were requested to collectively pay a portion of the total compensation, with other stakeholders, including the Bangladeshi government and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporter

4.Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh:
Established in May 2013, this legally binding agreement between global brands, retailers, and trade unions aimed to ensure safer working conditions in Bangladeshi garment factories. It mandated independent safety inspections and public reporting of findings. ​Maquila Solidarity Network

5. Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety:
Formed by North American retailers, this initiative focused on improving safety standards in Bangladeshi factories, though it faced criticism for being less stringent than the Accord. 

Impact of the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety:

What Was this accord ?
It was Legally binding agreement signed in 2013 by 175+ brands  e.g H&M, Adidas, M&S and aimed to improve fire, electrical & building safety in Bangladesh’s garment factories. It can be considered as a landmark success in protecting workers’ rights & holding global brands .

Accord included Independent factory inspections (38,000+),Public reporting & brand accountability, Mandatory safety upgrades and constitution of “Worker training & Safety Committees”  at working premises. 

Results  of this accord were visible by 2018 which included  Resolution of 90%+ safety issues of  2,000+ factories by covering 1.7 million workers covered and Closure of unsafe factories.Subsequently this accord Transitioned to RMG Sustainability Council (2020) and an International Accord (2021)  was also extended to other countries and in  2023 it was  Extended to Pakistan  as well . 

 Initiatives taken by investors : 

Following the Rana Plaza collapse, the ICCR formed this initiative comprising over 200 institutional investors with assets exceeding $4 trillion. The goal was to press global companies sourcing from Bangladesh to engage directly in reforming the apparel sector by joining the Accord. ​ICCR. The ICCR continued to assess progress and advocate for improved worker health and safety in the Bangladesh apparel sector, emphasizing the need for corporate accountability and sustainable reforms. These collaborative efforts marked a significant shift towards prioritizing human rights and worker safety in the global garment industry.​

Fight Continues:

Several activists are still fighting for garment workers and advocating for their rights. The progress of worker safety is as follows.RMG Sustainable Council (RSC) is working  as national tripartite body including brands, unions and manufacturers. It is responsible for factory inspection, remediation, training and complaints of the workers.Till February 2025, 21000+ inspections were done by RSC and more than 1,40,000+ safety issues have been resolved.Positive outcome included . achievement of safer conditions by more than 2 million workers. Fire alarm installation, with fire doors and emergency lighting and Strengthening the buildings and electrical systems is another mile stone achieved .one has to appreciate that that's such a huge businesses being  off shored by  many  western countries Still has Concerns of "backsliding" in enforcement standards, Perceived weaker accountability under RSC vs. original Accord and  Global unions IndustriALL and UNI withdrew from RSC citing reduced enforceability. 
Further read 

  The Guardian:
“‘A nightmare I couldn’t wake up from’: Half of Rana Plaza survivors unable to work 10 years after disaster”
 Read the article​

Human Rights Watch:
“Decade After Rana Plaza, Safety Flaws Persist”
 Read the article​Times of Oman+2Human Rights Watch+2Vogue Business+2

Vogue Business:
 “10 years since Rana Plaza, not enough has changed”
 International Labour Organization+3Vogue Business+3Times of Oman+3

TIME:
“Bangladesh Charges 38 With Murder Over the 2013 Rana Plaza Disaster”
 Read the article​Time+1BelleNews+1

The New Yorker:
 “After Rana Plaza”
​Clean Clothes Campaign+5The New Yorker+5Tishman Environment and Design Center+5

    Bloomberg:
•“Rana Plaza Collapse a Decade On, Garment Workers Still Exploited”
Read the article​Bloomberg

Final Thought:
 Rana Plaza disaster happened because the building had structural issues due to weak soil foundation, use of inferior-quality materials during construction, higher loads due to additional floors, rooftop generators and improper inspection and regulation. After twelve years of the incident, we still remember the lost souls and their families. But remembrance must lead to change in the working policies and labour rights. The fight for the workers' rights is continuing, and it needs our attention, action and accountability.

As we use the clothes stitched by these workers, let us also feel their stories and let us demand better for them. Let us establish an industry where safety, self-esteem and justice are the main pillars.

FAQs

1. What was the incident behind the Rana Plaza disaster?
Rana Plaza was an eight-story commercial building in Bangladesh that collapsed in 2013. More than 1,100 garment workers died, and thousands of them were injured. The disaster was due to poor construction and neglect of safety warnings.

2. What were the root causes of this disaster?
Poor construction of the building, inferior-quality materials, rooftop generators and unauthorized additional floors.

3. What was the role of the government after the disaster?
The government initiated strict building inspections, introducing revised zone laws and legal action taken against the building owner.