Bangladesh

Opposition leaders in Bangladesh have committed to continue the demonstrations that have been ongoing since the beginning of the year. This comes even after their leader, Khaleda Zia, was allowed to leave her office after being sequestered there by police for more than 2 weeks. Zia noted that her supporters would continue to protest until Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets their demands centering around election reform. At least 29 people have been killed and over 7,000 activists have been arrested during the protests. (The Wall Street Journal ) / (BBC)
 
Bangladesh’s State Minister for Labor has asked all garment factory owners to not terminate their workers amid the ongoing political unrest in the country. Speaking at a gathering of government and industry leaders, the minister noted the delicacy of the situation in the country and urged leaders in all areas to avoid worsening the situation by giving workers a reason to become agitated. The recent unrest has taken a significant toll on Bangladesh’s garment industry and business leaders have urged the government to ensure exports continue to flow out of the country. (New Age BD)
 
The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh says that it will inspect 200 additional factories added to its ranks after completion of its initial assessment in September of last year. This follows a massive effort by the Accord to inspect over 1,100 factories during the initial phase. Accord leaders say that they are working to augment its roster of accredited inspectors to carry out the additional visits. (The Financial Express)