The 2013 Rana Plaza Collapse: A Tragedy That Shook the Fashion Industry

On 24 April 2013, a devastating disaster occurred in Bangladesh that exposed the dark side of the global fashion industry. An eight-story building, Rana Plaza, collapsed in Savar, a sub-district near Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. The building housed five garment factories that produced clothing for some of the world's most popular brands, such as Benetton, Primark, Mango, Walmart and many others. The collapse killed 1,134 people and injured more than 2,500, most of whom were women and children. It was the deadliest accidental structural failure in modern human history and the deadliest garment-factory disaster ever.

What caused the collapse?

The collapse of Rana Plaza was not a natural disaster, but a man-made one. The building was poorly constructed and illegally expanded without proper permits or safety inspections. The building's owner, Sohel Rana, who was allegedly a member of the ruling political party's youth wing, ignored multiple warnings about the cracks in the building and forced the workers to return to work the day after the cracks were discovered. He threatened to withhold their wages if they refused to work.

The workers had no choice but to comply, as they were paid very low wages and depended on their jobs for survival. They worked long hours in unsafe and unhealthy conditions, with little or no protection from fire, electrical hazards or structural failures. They faced harassment, abuse and violence from their managers and supervisors. They had no union representation or legal rights to demand better working conditions or fair compensation. They were trapped in a system of exploitation and oppression that prioritised profits over people's lives.

What was the impact of the collapse?

The collapse of Rana Plaza shocked the world and sparked a global outcry for justice and accountability. It exposed the harsh realities of the fast fashion industry, which relies on cheap labor and low environmental standards to produce large quantities of clothing at low prices and high speed. It revealed the lack of transparency and responsibility in the global supply chain, where brands and retailers often outsource their production to subcontractors who cut corners and violate labor rights to meet their demands. It also highlighted the complicity of consumers who fuel the demand for fast fashion without considering its social and environmental costs.

The collapse also galvanized a movement for change and reform in the fashion industry. It inspired campaigns such as Fashion Revolution, which calls for more ethical and sustainable fashion practices and urges consumers to ask "Who made my clothes?" It led to initiatives such as the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, which aim to improve safety standards and inspections in garment factories. It also prompted some brands and retailers to sign agreements with trade unions and labor groups to ensure fair wages and working conditions for their workers.

What can we learn from the collapse?

The collapse of Rana Plaza was a tragedy that could have been prevented if human rights and dignity were respected and valued in the fashion industry. It taught us that we cannot ignore the consequences of our consumption choices and that we have a responsibility to demand more ethical and sustainable fashion practices from brands and retailers. It also showed us that we have the power to make a difference by supporting workers' rights and empowerment, by choosing quality over quantity, by reducing our environmental impact and by raising our voice for change.

The collapse of Rana Plaza was a wake-up call for the fashion industry and for all of us who wear clothes. It challenged us to rethink our relationship with fashion and to create a more just and fair fashion system that respects people and planet.