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ACTION on Bangladesh

On 24 April 2013, the Rana Plaza collapsed, killing 1,100 workers and injuring thousands more. Since then, more than 200 global brands and retailers have signed the historic the Accord on Fire and Building Safety and more than 1,500 factory inspections have been carried out. The Rana Plaza compensation fund, set up for the victims and their families, has finally reached its target of US$30 million.

For a truly safe and sustainable garment industry strong trade unions are needed - IndustriALL is relentless in pursuing our goal to organize and to fight for a living wage for all garment workers.

Bangladesh Accord Signatories

Timeline

18 June, 2015 Global unions denounce comments made by Bangladesh Finance Minister

8 June 2015, Rana Plaza victims’ compensation fund reaches US$30 million target

29 April 2015, Last push to close the compensation gap

23 April 2015, Rob Wayss, executive director, and Brad Loewen, chief safety inspector, talk about safety in garment factories

17 April 2015, Reactive statement: Benetton pays $1.1 million into Rana Plaza compensation fund

24 March 2015, Rana Plaza: Countdown to second anniversary begins with compensation fund still US$9 million short

20 February 2015, Benetton agrees to pay Rana Plaza compensation

19 February 2015, Global Unions say to Benetton 'Pagare'/Pay Up!

12 February 2015, Union strength and brand pressure

15 January 2015, "Seeing tremendous gains in life safety," says Brad Loewen, Accord chief safety inspector

20 August 2014, Organizing in Bangladesh – changing the dynamics

6 August 2014, Unpaid garment workers on hunger strike

17 July 2014, More action needed from Bangladesh Government

15 May 2014, Tally Weijl signs Bangladesh Accord on one year anniversary

15 May 2014, One year anniversary of the Bangladesh Accord

24 April 2014, Brands’ commitment to Rana Plaza compensation fund woefully inadequate

24 April 2014, Rana Plaza - survivor stories - Rehana Khartun

24 April 2014, I was forced to go up - Rana Plaza victim

23 April 2014, What does the Bangladesh Accord deliver?

23 April 2014, Q&A with Jyrki Raina one year after Rana Plaza

23 April 2014, Q&A with Mojtaba Kazazi

9 April 2014, Clothing brands fail Rana Plaza survivors

25 March 2014, Bangladesh action in full swing

19 March 2014, Rana Plaza Trust Fund to launch worker payments as of 24 March

14 March 2014, Rana Plaza: Primark called on to pay up as launch date of payments announced

10 March 2014, First round of independent and transparent factory inspection reports completed in Bangladesh

7 March 2014, Rana Plaza brands must pay compensation by 9am on 24 April

3 March 2014, Jyrki Raina speaks about his tour to five Asian countries

20 February 2014, Rana Plaza compensation arrangement needs brands’ commitment

29 January 2014, Migros and Coop refuse to sign Bangladesh safety accord despite 1800 deaths in 7 years

15 January 2014, Bangladesh Accord announces establishment of factory safety inspection standards

27 December 2013, Compensation fund created for Rana Plaza victims

20 December 2013, A Year of Struggle and Victories

19 December 2013, JUST GROUP – “Just sign it”

16 december 2013, Final call before Christmas for Swiss supermarkets to sign Accord

5 December 2013, IndustriALL launches second issue of “Global Worker”

28 November 2013, IndustriALL leading the struggle for Bangladeshi garment workers

26 November 2013, Bangladesh - 1 year after the Tazreen Fashion factory fire

26 November 2013, One-year anniversary - injured workers and family members of dead workers of Tazreen form human chain

21 November 2013, IndustriALL marks one year since Tazreen fire

15 November 2013, Rana Plaza compensation talks still frustrate

25 October 2013, Candlelit vigil at Rana Plaza

24 October 2013, Human chain at the site of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh.

24 October 2013, Families hold candlelit vigil at Rana Plaza site six months on

24 October 2013, BANGLADESH - 6 months after the collapse of Rana Plaza - Jyrki Raina

24 October 2013, marks 6 months since the Rana Plaza collapse

24 October 2013, Accord statement upon the six-month anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster

18 October 2013, Bangladesh Accord appoints its leadership team

17 October 2013, 100 brand milestone for Bangladesh Accord

24 September 2013, 200,000 Bangladeshi garment workers rally for a decent wage

11-12 September 2013, Bangladesh compensation meetings in Geneva

29 July 2013, Delegation in Dhaka promotes implementation of Accord

8 July 2013, New EU Compact urges companies to sign Bangladesh Accord

July 2013, Bangladesh Safety Accord implementation moving forward

26 June 2013, OECD National Contact Points support Bangladesh Accord

20 June 2013, Ban Ki-moon backs Bangladesh Safety Deal

June 2013, Bangladeshi unions reject inadequate labour law changes

6 June 2013, IndustriALL, UNI and ITUC visit Bangladesh

31 May 2013, Walmart and GAP run away from Bangladesh Accord

23 May 2013, Global brands pull together on Bangladesh safety deal

15 May 2013, Release of Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety

14 May 2013, Final Countdown for companies to sign Accord before 15 May midnight deadline

13 May 2013, Companies sigh the Accord on Fire and Building safety

9 May 2013, 8 killed in fire in Tung Hai garment factory in Mirpur, Dhaka

6 May 2013, EU Commission commits to push for fundamental rights in Bangladesh garment sector

29 April 2013, Deadline set for 15 May for a Bangladesh safety plan

26 April 2013, over 5000 workers protest in Dhaka

24 April 2013, RANA PLAZA COLLAPSE

15 April 2013, European brands agree to compensate Tazreen victims

24 February 2013, Families of fire victims get compensation

22 February 2013, IndustriALL Multi-stakeholder meeting in Dhaka

26 January 2013, 7 workers die in fire at Smart Fashions

17 January 2013, European Parliament adopts resolution on factory fires (

15 January 2013, Tripartite effort on fire safety in Bangladesh

December 2012, Global unions call for measures after Tazreen fire

26 November 2012, day of mourning for fire victims

24 November 2012, over 100 workers die in fire at the Tazreen Fashion

7 October 2012, fire in Begun Bari and Sattala slums area

20 September 2012, Tchibo joins agreement on garment factory safety in Bangladesh

Three killed in Bangladesh factory fire

1 March 2022 at 07:55

At least three people, including a 15-year old girl, were killed and several others injured, when an illegal shoe factory caught fire on 23 February.

Police in Bangladesh obstruct union activities

30 September 2021 at 09:45

In a serious violation of workers’ rights, Bangladeshi police first banned a number of union meetings and then physically stopped participants from joining a meeting where a regional committee of the IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) was to be formed.

International Safety Accord begins with 91 garment brands and retailers

1 September 2021 at 15:39

1 September 2021, marks the official commencement of the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Garment and Textile Industry, a 26-month legally-binding agreement to make ready-made garment (RMG) factories safe.

International Accord: tentative agreement on expanded worker safety programmes

25 August 2021 at 15:00

Negotiations between IndustriALL, UNI and leading textile and garment brands signatories to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh have yielded a tentative agreement that continues the parties’ legally binding commitments to workplace safety in Bangladesh and expands the programme to other countries.

3-month extension to Bangladesh Transition Accord achieved

31 May 2021 at 11:45

Global unions and international fashion brands agree to a three-month extension of the commitments of the 2018 Transition Accord to allow negotiations to continue.

Global unions to withdraw from unenforceable garment factory safety scheme in Bangladesh

12 May 2021 at 17:30

IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union, the labour signatories of the Bangladesh Accord, have today given notice to withdraw from the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC) in Bangladesh on 1 June.

The work to keep garment factories safe must continue

23 April 2021 at 17:15

Out of the rubble of the Rana Plaza collapse, the Bangladesh Accord was created. The legally binding agreement has transformed factory safety in Bangladesh’ garment industry, saved lives, supported freedom of association and increased collective bargaining. The Accord expires at the end of next month, and it not only needs to stay, it needs to be expanded to cover garment workers worldwide.

Garment workers need safe factories

15 April 2021 at 12:21

Approaching the eight anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse, safe factories for garment workers still need to be fought for. Please join the social media action next week for the fight for safe factories and to support the demand for a global agreement on factory safety.

Next steps for the Accord

4 September 2019 at 11:10

Representatives from the Steering Committee of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and the Bangladesh garment employers’ association (BGMEA) have met in Dhaka to discuss the establishment of the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), as agreed in the memorandum of understanding signed between the Accord Steering Committee and the BGMEA in May this year.

Bangladesh Accord achievements secured

19 May 2019 at 18:16

A breakthrough agreement has been reached between the Accord and the Bangladesh garment employers’ association (BGMEA) that will ensure that the progress made on factory safety in Bangladesh will continue. On 19 May, the agreement was accepted by the Bangladesh Appellate Court which has given permission for the Accord to continue during a 12 month transition period.

Bangladesh unions call for Accord to continue on 6th anniversary of Rana Plaza

24 April 2019 at 16:27

The IndustriALL Bangladesh Council called for the continuation of the Accord in Bangladesh in a demonstration today to mark the sixth anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster.

Why transparency is key to transforming the fashion industry

24 April 2019 at 10:03

Six years after Rana Plaza, the deadliest disaster in the garment industry, independent and transparent fire and building inspections by the Bangladesh Accord have transformed the safety of thousands of garment factories in the country, writes Jenny Holdcroft, assistant general secretary, IndustriALL Global Union.

The Accord must continue in Bangladesh until the government is truly able to ensure worker safety

15 April 2019 at 11:35

The Supreme Court of Bangladesh has given another short-term extension to the Bangladesh Accord, scheduling the next hearing to determine the safety program’s fate on 19 May 2019. UNI Global Union and IndustriALL Global Union, two signatories of the Accord, have issued a statement calling for a resolution that protects garment workers in the country.

Bangladesh unions call to reinstate over 12,000 retrenched garment workers

8 March 2019 at 09:16

In a letter to the minister of labour and employment on 5 March, the IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) demanded immediate intervention of the government to withdraw false cases, free the imprisoned and reinstate all dismissed workers in the backdrop of mass protests for wage hike across readymade garment manufacturing units.

Bangladesh Government must intervene to secure garment factory safety

5 March 2019 at 10:02

The Bangladesh Government continues to insist that the Accord on Fire and Building Safety leaves Bangladesh by a fixed date, regardless of whether there is a competent safety authority to replace it.

Bangladesh Government set to throw away Accord achievements

13 February 2019 at 16:05

The Bangladesh Government is set to throw away the achievements of the Bangladesh Accord, which was a response to the Rana Plaza building collapse in 2013 that claimed more than 1000 lives.Rather than negotiate a responsible handover of Accord functions, the Government of Bangladesh is intransigent in insisting that the Accord leaves Bangladesh by a fixed date, regardless of whether there is a competent safety authority to replace it.

Over 11,600 Bangladesh garment workers lose jobs and face repression

11 February 2019 at 16:57

A massive wave of protesting garment workers demanding an increase of minimum wages swept across Bangladesh’s garment industry in December 2018 and January 2019. State repression following the protest has resulted in arrests and mass terminations of workers in more than a hundred garment manufacturing units.

It’s no surprise that the Spice Girls T-shirt was made by workers on poverty wages

21 January 2019 at 17:38

The bitter irony of a T-shirt promoting gender justice being made by women on poverty wages reflects an ongoing disconnect between campaigners in the West, and the realities of global supply chains.

Garment worker killed and 50 injured in Bangladesh clashes

10 January 2019 at 13:49

A garment worker has been killed and another 50 injured after Bangladeshi police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at around 5,000 protesting workers on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka, on Tuesday 8 January.

Bangladesh government attempts to paralyze Accord and strip its independence

10 December 2018 at 15:09

The Bangladesh government is using proceedings before the Supreme Court of Bangladesh to prevent the Accord from operating, thereby putting workers’ safety at risk.

Trade unions across the globe show support for Bangladesh Accord

5 December 2018 at 09:59

More than 200 trade union leaders from all corners of the world showed unanimous support for the Bangladesh Accord at IndustriALL Global Union’s Executive Committee meeting in Mexico on 29 and 30 November.

Bangladesh must keep Accord on Fire and Building Safety

19 November 2018 at 14:49

IndustriALL Global Union strongly urges the government of Bangladesh to petition the High Court to lift a restraining order that seeks to expel the Accord from the country on 30 November.

Implementing global agreements with brands in the garment sector

3 October 2018 at 10:49

Around 130 union leaders from Turkey and Bangladesh met in Istanbul, Turkey, to exchange experiences and knowledge on union organizing, collective bargaining agreements and social dialogue within the context of the implementation of global framework agreements (GFAs).

Bangladeshi unions call for new minimum wage to be doubled

2 October 2018 at 09:46

The IndustriALL Bangladesh Council has called for an immediate review of the new minimum wage, saying it fails to meet workers’ expectations. They demand that the new rate be doubled.

Signatories to the 2018 Accord

10 September 2018 at 13:30

A list of brands and retailers that have signed the 2018 Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh.

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