The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the Rana Plaza collapse. 

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan laid floral wreaths on the graves of the victims at the Jurain graveyard in Dhaka on April 24 on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the tragic accident. 

Vice President Shahidullah Azim and officials of BGMEA were also present on the occasion. 

After placing the wreaths, they stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the Rana Plaza victims. 

The readymade garment sector of Bangladesh has undergone a massive transformation in the last 10 years to become one of the safest industries in the world, said Faruque Hassan. 

The tragedy was a wake-up call that fostered unprecedented collaboration among stakeholders including the government, the ILO, buyers, suppliers, and unions, leading to a paradigm shift in the areas of structural,  fire and electrical safety in the RMG industry of Bangladesh, he said. 

A culture of safety has been developed following the massive safety initiatives taken in the last 10 years including legal reforms, he added. 

The BGMEA President also said that Bangladeshi factories are not only safer, but also environment-friendly today.

“We have the highest number of green garment factories in the world with 195 factories already achieved LEED certification from USGBC, of them 69 are Platinum rated while 54 out of the world’s top 100 factories are from Bangladesh,” he said adding that the achievements clearly show how Bangladesh made tangible transformation in the RMG sector. 

He asserted the firm commitment of Bangladesh’s apparel industry to carrying forward the accomplishments made on workplace safety,  workers’ rights and environmental sustainability.