41 People Charged With Murder in Rana Plaza Factory Collapse

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Bangladesh's Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in 2013 killed 1,135 workers and injured 2,515, and now The Independent reports that 41 people have been charged with murder due to their involvement in the accident. The defendants face life in prison if convicted.

The Bangladeshi court reportedly issued arrest warrants on Monday. The building's owner Sohel Rana is in custody, while 16 people are out on bail and 24 people have fled.

Workers at Rana Plaza supplied merchandise to brands like H&M, Joe Fresh, Primark, and Mango, according to The Fashion Law. Several of the factory's eight stories were built without permission and the entire structure was built on swamp land.

The building's owner is accused of ignoring an engineer's warning that the building was unsafe and ordering factory employees to keep working, despite reports of cracking plaster. The horrific accident sparked outcry about working conditions in the apparel industry and the ethics of fast fashion.