The sight of Reshma Begum being pulled alive and uninjured from the wreckage of the collapsed Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh has sent a wave of joy and relief around the world. But on April 24th, when the world first woke to the news of the collapse of the eight-story factory crushing to death hundreds of men and women, we felt a tsunami of rage and immediately sought a culprit.
When it emerged that cut-price western brand name companies were sourcing from that factory, we sought no more. Multinational company = greed/evil/heartlessness. How could they possibly produce $4 t-shirts without exploiting workers and putting their lives at risk?
But can the price of a t-shirt really lead to a fatal crack in an eight-story building? In my latest blog for MIT’s CoLab Radio, I try to see the full picture. >>go to CoLab Radio
UPDATE: Top companies sign Accord on Fire and Buildling Safety in Bangladesh
Sabita Banerji 