The industry has been crucial for the economy since the 1990s and has gone through rounds of changes in national and international laws on quotas, taxes, and labour rights. The discussion on labour rights became especially urgent after factory fires like Tazreen in 2012 and Rana Plaza in 2013. The conversation is ongoing, and while there has been some progress, which needs to be acknowledged, working conditions in Bangladesh are far behind what is considered normal in the developed world. As seen from the history of labour rights in the United States, a controversial recommendation for workers’ rights remain in the power of labour unions. Bottom line: The struggle for workers’ rights is not a unique situation and most industrialized countries have gone through this phase.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 26, 2019 16:30 UTC