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

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.

Beyond Bangladesh, OECD countries must act to save lives in the garment industry

27 August 2018 at 15:36

On 24 April 2013, the world woke up to the reality of garment factory conditions in Bangladesh when more than a thousand workers were killed and over two thousand injured after the Rana Plaza garment factory complex, supplying western brands, collapsed.

Bangladesh Accord arbitration cases - resulting in millions-of-dollars in settlements - officially closed

18 July 2018 at 12:10

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) has announced that two landmark cases against multinational fashion brands brought under the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety have been officially closed. The tribunal hearing the case issued termination orders this week, and the cases were brought by global unions IndustriALL and UNI.

Bangladesh Accord will continue until government is ready to take over its functions

14 May 2018 at 12:59

As the 2013 Accord prepares for its expiry this month and its replacement by the 2018 Transition Accord, the occasion was marked by a joint press conference between the Accord and the Bangladesh association of factory owners (BGMEA).

Five years after Rana Plaza, the need for the Bangladesh Accord persists

23 April 2018 at 08:04

A few days before the fifth anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster that killed 1,134 workers, global trade unions and labour rights organizations are calling on all brands sourcing from Bangladesh to take responsibility for workers making their products by signing the renewed Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety.

Bangladesh garment workers call for increased minimum wage

5 March 2018 at 14:19

The current minimum wage for garment workers in Bangladesh is US$68 and was set in 2013; now the IndustriALL Bangladesh Council is demanding an increase to US$192.

100 days until current Accord ends – labour signatories urge brands to sign onto 2018 Accord

22 February 2018 at 09:13

With 100 days until the current Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety expires, garment companies are urged to continue their involvement to create a safe and sustainable garment industry in Bangladesh and to sign its successor, the 2018 Transition Accord.

More than 100 brands sign 2018 Transition Accord in Bangladesh

14 February 2018 at 13:37

The agreement to improve garment industry safety standards now covers more than 2 million workers

Global unions reach US$2.3 million Bangladesh Accord settlement with multinational brand

22 January 2018 at 11:21

IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union have reached a US$2.3 million settlement with a multinational apparel brand to remedy life-threatening workplace hazards. The settlement, reached through an arbitration process under the legally-binding Bangladesh Accord for Fire and Building Safety, represents one of the largest payments made by a brand to remedy workplace dangers in its supply chain.

Settlement reached with global fashion brand in Bangladesh Accord arbitration

15 December 2017 at 04:25

IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union have reached a settlement agreement in a case under the legally-binding enforcement mechanisms of the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety.

Bangladesh: Garment unions trained for effective implementation of GFAs

1 November 2017 at 15:49

62 trade union representatives, including 25 women union leaders, from various garment factories in Bangladesh participated in a training programme on the implementation of IndustriALL’s Global Framework Agreements with H&M, Inditex and Tchibo, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Process agreed to prepare for future handover of Bangladesh Accord to a national regulator

21 October 2017 at 14:04

Conditions on enforcement and capacity have been agreed to prepare for the handover of the Bangladesh Accord to a national regulatory body. This was announced following a high-level in meeting in Bangladesh, between IndustriALL, Uni Global Union, brand representatives and the BGMEA with the Bangladesh Ministers of Commerce and Labour.

New evidence reveals EU Action on Bangladesh labour rights abuses long over-due

18 October 2017 at 08:24

In light of new evidence, trade unions and labour organizations are today renewing their calls to the European Commission to make good on its promise to launch a trade investigation into Bangladesh as a result of its government’s continued failure to make urgently needed reforms to the law and practice governing trade union rights in the country’s Ready Made Garment industry.

Bangladesh Accord’s binding arbitration process scores legal win

17 October 2017 at 09:13

A unanimous decision by an arbitral tribunal in The Hague bolsters the legally-binding enforcement mechanisms of the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety. The ruling, announced last night, allows complaints lodged by IndustriALL and UNI against two leading fashion brands to proceed to the next stage of arbitration, where they will be judged on their merits.

Global unions urge more brands to sign new Bangladesh Accord

9 October 2017 at 13:56

Global unions, IndustriALL and UNI, are demanding fashion brands sign up to the second Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety. The extension of the Bangladesh Accord is currently the only credible way to ensure that life-threatening hazards are identified and remediated in garment factories.

Global unions call for more brands to sign 2018 Bangladesh Accord

8 September 2017 at 16:58

IndustriALL Global Union and UNI Global Union are reaching out to global garment brands to be part of the 2018 Bangladesh Accord on fire and building safety. The 2018 agreement was announced by the global unions and brand representatives at the OECD in Paris this June.

Bangladesh: Haesong garment workers assaulted

23 August 2017 at 10:29

More than 50 garment workers at Haesong Corporation Ltd. in Bangladesh have been injured after being attacked by hired goons as they took part in a peaceful protest against the sweater manufacturer on 16 August.

Bangladesh: workers win termination benefits

20 July 2017 at 14:38

IndustriALL’s Global Framework Agreement (GFA) with H&M paves the way for 986 workers in six factories to receive termination benefits, and the disposal of cases filed against workers by suppliers following the crackdown on unions and workers earlier this year.

Bangladesh: 11 workers killed and over 50 injured in garment factory blast

4 July 2017 at 14:53

A boiler explosion at a Bangladeshi garment factory on 3 July 2017 has killed 11 workers and injured at least 50 people. The death toll could rise as many of those caught in the blast are in a critical condition in hospital.

Statement on the fatal explosion at Multifabs Limited garment factory in Bangladesh

4 July 2017 at 12:11

IndustriALL Global Union is deeply saddened at the deaths of at least 11 people following a boiler explosion at the Multifabs Limited garment factory in Bangladesh on Monday 3 July. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, and our thoughts and sympathies are with the many people injured in the blast.

Global unions urge world leaders to elevate example of Bangladesh Accord

1 July 2017 at 09:45

As the G20 prepares to tackle issues such as fair trade and corporate responsibility in Hamburg this weekend, global unions are calling on summit participants to look to the recently re-signed Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety as a model for promoting sustainable business practices.

Leading fashion brands join with unions to sign new Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety

29 June 2017 at 11:16

Leading fashion brands are redoubling their commitments to responsible global supply chains by entering into a new Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh with global trade unions.

Garment employer files charges against workers

15 June 2017 at 15:31

Workers at the Azim Group’s Orchid and Savar factories in Bangladesh, were attacked at the factory gates for wanting to form a union. Now company management has filed criminal charges against 61 of its workers.