Catherwood LibraryILR School

Pressure from the international community following April?s deadly factory collapse has motivated Bangladesh to pass legislation that will strengthen labor laws in the country. Specific provisions of the legislation include employer requirements to fund safety net measures and protections for unionizing workers. The Bangladeshi government is also holding talks with labor groups and factory owners to discuss a new minimum wage for garment workers, which presently stands at $38 per month. Critics of the legislation say that the new laws were enacted too hastily, though Bangladesh has already had its duty-free privileges revoked by the U.S. and the E.U. has threatened punitive action for lack of efforts to improve safety standards.