Bangladesh garment workers still face abuse, danger despite reforms

Two years after the deadly collapse of the Rana Plaza complex, employees in Bangladesh’s garment sector still face exploitative and dangerous working conditions despite government labour reforms, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Wednesday.

While the government and global brands have made progress in improving safety conditions for Bangladesh’s millions of garment workers, many still contend with abuse at work, delayed wages, and threats when they try to form a union, an HRW report said.
“Clearly, it is not enough to focus on safety alone,” Phil Robertson, the rights group’s Asia deputy director, said in a statement.

“Recent tragedies at Bangladeshi factories demonstrate that dangerous working conditions are linked to the failure to respect workers’ rights, including their right to form unions which can help them to collectively bargain for improved safety.”