Bangladesh Court Charges 41 in Rana Plaza Collapse
41 people have been charged in connection with the 2013 collapse of the commercial building in Bangladesh that housed five major garment factories.
DHAKA, Bangladesh-An update from Reuters on July 18 reports that a total of 41 people have been charged by a Bangladeshi court in connection with the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza. Of those 41 defendants, 38 have been charged with murder, 35 of which have pleaded not guilty. The Rana Plaza, located just outside of Dhaka, Bangladesh, was an eight-story commercial building that employed 5,000 garment workers and housed five garment factories for various major apparel brands. On April 24, 2013, the Plaza collapsed due to structural issues including cracks in the sides of the building, resulting in a death toll of 1,130 workers and 2,500 injured people.
The incident is regarded as the worst industrial disaster in Bangladesh to date and has since rekindled debates among advocacy groups, politicians, and the fashion industry on worker safety and ethical sourcing for apparel.
