2013 Dhaka garment factory collapse

2013 Dhaka garment factory collapse
Sharat Chowdhury · CC BY 2.5 · source
Name	Rana Plaza collapse
Native name	রানা প্লाजा ধ্বংসস্তুপ
Caption	Rubble of the eight‑storey building in Savar, 2013
Date	24 April 2013
Location	Savar, Dhaka District, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Cause	Structural failure; illegal construction; heavy machinery
Deaths	~1,134
Injuries	~2,500
Reported by	The Daily Star (Bangladesh), BBC News, The New York Times

2013 Dhaka garment factory collapse

The collapse of the eight‑storey Rana Plaza building in Savar, near Dhaka, on 24 April 2013 was one of the deadliest industrial disasters of the 21st century, precipitating widespread scrutiny of Bangladesh’s ready‑made garment sector, international retailers, and global supply chains. The catastrophe involved multiple internationally known apparel brands, Bangladesh Labour Party debates, and multinational non‑governmental organizations such as Human Rights Watch, prompting reforms in factory inspection, corporate accountability initiatives, and transnational legal actions.

Background

Rana Plaza housed factories producing clothing for multinational retailers linked to H&M, Primark, Matalan, Walmart, and Benetton Group, alongside a bank branch of Dutch Bangla Bank Limited and several shops tied to local entrepreneurs and contractors. The building was constructed by owner Sohel Rana and associated with the property firm Rana Group, whose permits and structural plans were contested by municipal actors including the Savār Upazila administration and local police units. Reports from ILO delegations, Clean Clothes Campaign, and Amnesty International documented systemic safety lapses similar to prior incidents at factories producing for Gap Inc., Tally Weijl, and Mango (company), reflecting persistent issues in Bangladesh’s export sector overseen by agencies such as the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

The Collapse

Shortly before collapse, tenants reported visible cracks and engineers from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority and local contractors inspected the structure; after orders to evacuate, factory managers allegedly compelled workers to return, referencing purchase orders from buyers including Walgreens Boots Alliance and PVH Corp.. On 24 April 2013, the building—unofficially expanded with additional floors beyond approved permits and retrofitted to house heavy industrial equipment used by firms like New Wave Group subcontractors—suffered catastrophic failure, with pancaking floors and impaired columns, echoing failures described in engineering assessments by teams from University of Dhaka, University of Sheffield, and Structural Engineers Association of Bangladesh.

Casualties and Human Impact

The human toll included approximately 1,134 fatalities and over 2,500 injured, with victims drawn from districts such as Gazipur District, Narayanganj District, and Mymensingh District, many employed through informal subcontracting chains connected to global buyers like Zara (owner Inditex), Lidl, Carrefour, and C&A. Survivors and families engaged with legal aid groups including Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust and international unions such as International Trade Union Confederation and UNI Global Union to seek compensation and rehabilitation, while civil society groups like Ain o Salish Kendra and BRAC documented long‑term impacts on dependents, widows, and orphaned children.

Rescue and Recovery Efforts

Initial rescue operations involved the Bangladesh Armed Forces, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, local fire services, and volunteer networks coordinated with Red Crescent Society and international search teams from organizations including Doctors Without Borders, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Heavy machinery supplied by private firms and technical advice from structural engineers affiliated with Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Engineers Without Borders supported extraction amid secondary collapses, while hospitals such as Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Savar General Hospital received mass casualties and triaged burn, crush, and orthopedic injuries.

Investigations and Legal Proceedings

Criminal inquiries implicated Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana, factory owners, and local officials; arrests and charges included negligent homicide and building code violations pursued in district courts and by prosecutors linked to the Ministry of Home Affairs (Bangladesh). Labor inspectors, judicial commissions, and international bodies like the International Labour Organization and Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development conducted probes that led to civil settlements, out‑of‑court compensation administered by the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety and a separate Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety fund supported by North American brands including Gap Inc. and Walmart. Litigation and class actions in jurisdictions such as United States and United Kingdom intersected with debates over extraterritorial corporate liability and transnational human rights obligations.

Domestic and International Response

Domestic reactions included nationwide protests by the Bangladesh Garment Workers Federation and political responses from parties such as the Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party. International responses combined consumer activism from groups like Change.org and Clean Clothes Campaign with retailer commitments embodied in the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, involving companies including H&M and Primark. Multilateral institutions such as the European Union and United Nations initiated trade and development dialogues with Bangladesh focused on compliance, while diplomatic statements from countries exporting apparel—United States, United Kingdom, and members of European Union—pressured reforms.

Reforms, Safety Measures, and Industry Impact

Post‑collapse reforms included the Accord’s legally binding inspection and remediation regime, worker safety training administered with support from International Finance Corporation and World Bank programs, and factory consolidation enforced through audits by firms like SGS (company) and Bureau Veritas. Some buyers shifted sourcing strategies affecting firms such as Beximco, Square Textiles, and numerous subcontractors, provoking debates in academic fora at institutions including Harvard University, London School of Economics, and Columbia University about corporate social responsibility, supply chain transparency, and reform durability. Long‑term industry changes encompassed strengthened building code enforcement via the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (Bangladesh), expanded union organizing facilitated by Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers Union Federation, and continued monitoring by transnational watchdogs such as Transparency International and Human Rights Watch.

Category:Industrial disasters in Bangladesh Category:2013 disasters in Bangladesh