On 24 November 2012, a devastating fire broke out at the Tazreen Fashions garment factory in Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka. The blaze tore through the multi-storey building, trapping hundreds of workers inside. With exits locked or blocked, stairways funneling workers through ground floors filled with flames, and no proper fire safety systems, escape became nearly impossible.
By the time the fire was brought under control, at least 112 workers had died — some reports say over 117 — and more than 200 were injured. Survivors recalled how many workers jumped from upper floors to escape, while others were suffocated or burned alive. The tragedy laid bare the unsafe, exploitative conditions underpinning Bangladesh’s garment industry, a sector built on the labor of women and the rural poor.
In the months that followed, the government filed criminal charges in 2013 against the factory’s owner, managers, and staff for negligence. Yet more than a decade later, justice remains elusive. Court proceedings have faced years of delays, with only a handful of witnesses testifying out of many named in the charge sheet. Survivors and families of the victims continue to demand accountability, fair compensation, and systemic reforms to prevent future disasters.
Every year, labor rights activists, trade unions, and survivors gather to honor those who lost their lives. The Tazreen fire is remembered not only as one of Bangladesh’s deadliest factory tragedies, but also as a turning point that exposed the structural violence of the global garment supply chain. Even today, the struggle for justice continues — a reminder that the lives lost in Ashulia must never be forgotten.
Bangladesh Feminist Archives 