Rana Plaza Factory Collapse: Comprehensive Notes

Rana Plaza Collapse

Overview

The Rana Plaza factory building collapse in Bangladesh is recognized as the worst industrial incident in the garment industry's history. The collapse triggered a global movement advocating for justice for the affected workers, improved safety conditions in factories, and greater accountability for international brands. This disaster brought to light the urgent need for comprehensive reforms within the global supply chain, emphasizing ethical practices and worker rights.

The Tragedy

  • Location: Savar, a sub-district in the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, an area known for its concentration of garment factories.

  • Date: April 24, 2013, a date that marks a turning point in the awareness of labor rights in the fashion industry.

  • Building: The Rana Plaza was an eight-story commercial building with structural inadequacies, housing shops, a bank, and several garment factories that supplied products to well-known international brands.

  • Casualties:

    • A death toll of 1,134 people, which included not only garment workers but also individuals involved in rescue operations.

    • Approximately 2,600 workers sustained injuries, many of which resulted in life-altering disabilities, requiring long-term medical care and rehabilitation.

  • Preceding Events:

    • On April 23, 2013, large structural cracks were discovered in the building, raising immediate concerns about its safety.

    • Shops and the bank located on the lower floors were promptly closed following the discovery of the cracks, prioritizing the safety of their employees and customers.

    • Despite the evident dangers, garment factory owners on the upper floors disregarded the warnings and ordered workers to return, driven by production demands and contractual obligations.

  • Worker Testimony: Shila Begum, a survivor, recounts the horrific experience of being trapped under concrete. Her injuries necessitated a complete hysterectomy, highlighting the severe and lasting health impacts on survivors. She underscores the continuous need for medical treatment and the significant financial strain of ensuring her child's education, reflecting the broader socio-economic challenges faced by the victims and their families.

Immediate Aftermath

  • The global community reacted with shock and horror as media reports revealed the full extent of the human toll, bringing attention to the unsafe conditions and ethical issues within the garment industry.

  • Harrowing survival stories emerged, including the extreme measures some workers took to escape the rubble, such as amputating their own limbs, illustrating the desperation and severity of the situation.

Actions Taken

  • The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh:

    • Established in May 2013, the Accord aimed to implement and enforce stringent factory safety standards to prevent future disasters.

    • Over 200 companies signed the accord, committing to independent inspections, safety training, and remediation of hazardous conditions.

  • The Rana Plaza Arrangement:

    • This arrangement was created to coordinate victim compensation, ensuring that survivors and the families of the deceased received the financial and medical support needed to cope with the aftermath.

    • The initiative aimed to provide comprehensive support, including long-term medical care, rehabilitation services, and educational assistance for the victims' children.

  • Brand Identification:

    • The Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and its partners played a crucial role in identifying at least 29 global brands that had recent or ongoing business relationships with the five garment factories in Rana Plaza.

    • Prominent brands such as Benetton (Italy), Bonmarche (UK), Cato Fashions (USA), The Children's Place (USA), El Corte Ingles (Spain), Joe Fresh (Loblaws, Canada), Kik (Germany), Mango (Spain), Matalan (UK), Primark (UK/Ireland), and Texman (Denmark) were identified as having benefited from the factories' production.

    • These brands were considered complicit in perpetuating dangerous working conditions through their sourcing practices and lack of oversight.

Compensation Efforts

  • Based on International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention 121, calculations estimated that 30million30 million was owed to the affected families as compensation for loss of income, medical expenses, and other related costs.

Campaigning for Justice

  • Extensive campaigning efforts were launched to ensure that all brands sourcing from Rana Plaza, and generally from Bangladesh, contributed financially, proportionate to their capacity, relationship with Bangladesh, and connection to Rana Plaza.

  • Over 1 million signatures were collected to exert pressure on Benetton to provide an appropriate amount of compensation, reflecting widespread public demand for corporate accountability.

  • Evidence, including photographs of Benetton labels found in the rubble and order forms from the New Wave Factory, directly linked Benetton to Rana Plaza, despite initial denials.

  • Benetton initially denied any direct links but later acknowledged New Wave Style as a supplier, confirming their business relationship with the factory.

  • The delay in providing compensation prolonged the suffering of affected workers and their families, exacerbating their financial and emotional distress.

  • Some brands linked to the disaster never contributed to the compensation fund, highlighting the ongoing challenges in achieving full corporate accountability.

Impact and Outcomes

  • The Rana Plaza collapse significantly increased public and media attention on unsafe workplaces in the garment industry, leading to greater scrutiny of labor practices and supply chain ethics.

  • Heightened political pressure resulted in the establishment of:

    • The legally binding Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, which mandated independent inspections and safety improvements in garment factories.

    • The Rana Plaza Arrangement, which brought together major stakeholders to ensure comprehensive compensation for victims' families and survivors.

  • After more than two years of intensive campaigning, reluctant brands like Benetton were eventually convinced to contribute, enabling the achievement of the 30million30 million compensation target.

  • The difficulty in accurately identifying which brands produced at Rana Plaza underscored the critical need for greater transparency in the garment industry, promoting traceability and accountability throughout the supply chain.

Background Information and Resources

  • Still Waiting Report (2013): This report highlighted the inadequacy of compensation for victims of Rana Plaza and Tazreen Fashions, emphasizing the urgent need for financial support.

  • University of Sussex Report (2018): This report provided detailed insights into the compensation process, analyzing its effectiveness and identifying areas for improvement.

  • Regular updates on the situation of Rana Plaza workers and workers in Bangladesh are available under resources, offering ongoing information and support.

Media Coverage Examples

  • The shirt on your back

  • The Guardian

  • In pictures: recounting the horrors of Rana Plaza

  • Al Jazeera

  • The deadly cost of fashion

  • New York Times

  • Interactive guide to Rana Plaza

  • The Guardian

  • When workers die, no company can walk away

  • Al Jazeera

  • Eight Storeys

  • project showing cost of fashion

Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) Focus Areas

  • Living wages

  • Safe workplaces

  • Fair contracts

  • Direct solidarity

  • Addressing the Covid crisis

  • Gender equality

  • Transparent supply chains

  • Climate Change

  • Right to organise