Bangladesh has experienced rapid growth and development in the past decade, with an average growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 6.4 per cent since 2010. The World Bank has classified Bangladesh as a lower middle-income country since 2014. The garment sector of Bangladesh — the biggest contributor to the country’s export earnings — is now the second largest exporter of ready-made garments (RMG) after China. The garment industry is also making strides in becoming a more sustainable market for investment and sourcing through an improved policy framework, better working conditions, adoption of energy efficient production processes, and building backward linkages.
The sector, however, has also experienced significant setbacks in recent years. The devastating incidents of the Tazreen Group factory fire in 2012 and the Rana Plaza building collapse in 2013 raised widespread international attention to the working conditions in the RMG sector, and the role of international buyers in protecting workers at supplier factories. Subsequently, there have been numerous multi-stakeholder efforts to improve the safety conditions in workplaces inside the RMG industry from employers’ organisations, the government, unions, civil society organisations, international organisations, as well as global brands.
