Terror Attack Deals Blow to Improvements in Post-Rana Plaza Garment Industry

A deadly attack by Islamist militants in Dhaka may stymie efforts by the Bangladeshi government and Western retailers to improve the rights and safety of garment workers, labor rights experts warned last week.

Gunmen stormed a restaurant in Dhaka's diplomatic zone on July 1, killing 20 people, most of them foreigners from Italy, Japan, India and the U.S., in an assault claimed by Islamic State.

Bangladesh's $26 billion garment industry fears the attack could force major retailers from Uniqlo to Marks and Spencer and Gap to rethink their sourcing plans.