State of Workplace Safety in Bangladesh Readymade Garment Industry:

A Decade after Rana Plaza Collapse

Abstract

Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) industry started its journey in the early 1980s and has played a pivotal role in its socio-economic development. Among the world’s largest clothing exporters, Bangladesh has secured the second position after China. However, the workplace safety issue in Bangladesh’s RMG industry has evolved significantly since the Rana Plaza collapse in April 2013. It has raised global awareness about safety conditions in the industry. Following a decade of collapse, this study aimed to assess the workplace safety of Bangladesh’s RMG industry through convenience sampling. The study was conducted using 60 questionnaires in RMG factories in Dhaka District, Bangladesh. It used operating-level workers’ data to evaluate workplace safety, aligning with the objective. The findings show that workplace safety has improved as the government of Bangladesh and the international community, including the Accord and Alliance, have taken several initiatives, such as building and fire safety, and the modernization of the labor inspection system, to ensure workplace safety in Bangladesh’s RMG industry following the devastating Rana Plaza accident. These initiatives ultimately help the industry to ensure workplace safety, a prerequisite for competitive and sustainable international business. However, supplementary initiatives and robust monitoring in both private and public sectors are highly desirable to ensure workplace safety in the industry and address the post-LDC workplace safety challenges.