Publications
Publications
- September 2013 (Revised June 2014)
- HBS Case Collection
Rana Plaza: Workplace Safety In Bangladesh (A)
By: John A. Quelch and Margaret L. Rodriguez
Abstract
On April 24, 2013 the Rana Plaza factory building collapsed in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Over 1,100 people were killed in the worst industrial accident since the Union Carbide plant gas leak in Bhopal, India. Most of the victims worked for garment factories, whose primary clients were European, US and Canadian firms. Export contracts to such firms had helped Bangladesh become the world's second largest clothing exporter. Rana Plaza was not the first tragedy to occur in Bangladesh's garment industry, and without intervention, more might follow. International brand owners, domestic and foreign governments, labor unions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), stepped up to discuss their responsibilities for improving conditions for Bangladeshi garment workers.
Keywords
Marketing; Public Health; Safety; Workplace; Human Rights; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Bangladesh
Citation
Quelch, John A., and Margaret L. Rodriguez. "Rana Plaza: Workplace Safety In Bangladesh (A)." Harvard Business School Case 514-034, September 2013. (Revised June 2014.)