Tazreen Fashions factory fire

On 24 November 2012 a fire broke out in the Tazreen Fashions garment factory in Bangladesh. Exits to the outside were locked, which left workers trapped inside the building. The only way out was through windows on the upper floors, while the lower windows were barred. Over a hundred workers were injured by jumping from the windows of the third and fourth floors, sustaining serious back and head injuries which have left many of them in constant pain. For the last three years the families of those killed and injured have been fighting for compensation for the loss of their loved ones or loss of their own ability to earn an income.

Tazreen Claims Administration Trust

An agreement to make payments specifically to cover loss of income and medical treatment was signed by IndustriALL Global Union, the Clean Clothes Campaign, C&A and the C&A Foundation just prior to the second anniversary of the fire in 2014. This agreement led to the creation of the Tazreen Claims Administration Trust in September 2015 which oversees the claims process, cooperates with organizations representing the families and collects funding to make the payments.

The Trust raised money to cover the payments primarily through contributions from brands and retailers whose products were produced at the Tazreen factory. C&A, Li & Fung (which sourced on behalf of Sean Jean), BRAC USA (on behalf of Walmart), Spanish department store El Corte Ingles and German brand KiK have paid into the fund. Other brands that sourced from Tazreen fashions have thus far failed to take responsibility towards the survivors and the families of the killed workers.

In June 2016, the Claims Administration Trust completed its work of providing loss of income payments to all injured workers and to the dependents of those who were killed. This meant an important recognition of the rights of the survivors and families affected by the Tazreen fire, after being overshadowed by the scale of the Rana Plaza disaster. The Tazreen claims process also establishes further both the possibility and the necessity of ensuring that victims of any future disasters are provided with loss of income payments and support in line with international norms and standards.

Source: Clean Clothes Campaign