Catherwood LibraryILR School

The labor actions in Bangladesh have garnered international action in the form of two business groups that represent American and European retailers who use the Bangladeshi factories to manufacture the apparel they sell. Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, the American group has pledged $100 million in available funds for loans to factories that require safety upgrades. The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, the European group, has pledged to pay for any repairs that are necessary due to the increased strictness of the new building requirements. Both groups praised the new codes, which have the backing of the International Labor Organization and the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. The two groups were formed after the Rana Plaza factory collapsed on April 24 of this year, where 1,100 workers lost their lives.