Current Status
In January 2015, a tragic fire in Dhaka, believed to be caused by a busted gas cylinder, killed 13 people. This proves that many of the buildings still do not meet safety criteria, especially since this is not the first incident of this type of issue. The blaze, however, has elicited many citizens to demand government intervention. As a result, the government refurbished laws so that workers don’t need approval to form trade unions. Also, 5% of every factory's profits now goes towards a workers' welfare fund. An increase in minimum wage was also brought forth, raising it from 38 dollars a month to 64 dollars a month. Although tragedy struck, there have been preventative measures to hopefully decrease the chance of this happening again.
Currently, many US companies have expressed concern about the quality and standards of their overseas workers. Nike’s vice president of sustainable business expressed concern about the reputation of the company if they continue to utilize factories known to have poor human rights. Consequently, he announced to reduce the Bangladeshi footprint. American and European companies have together set up groups to inspect factories force owners to make safety improvements, such as installing fire
fire escapes, smoke detectors, and sprinklers.
Currently, many US companies have expressed concern about the quality and standards of their overseas workers. Nike’s vice president of sustainable business expressed concern about the reputation of the company if they continue to utilize factories known to have poor human rights. Consequently, he announced to reduce the Bangladeshi footprint. American and European companies have together set up groups to inspect factories force owners to make safety improvements, such as installing fire
fire escapes, smoke detectors, and sprinklers.