The Rana Plaza building collapse on 24th April 2013 resulted in the death of over 1100 garment factory workers in Bangladesh. This paper examines the current scenario of Bangladeshi women’s livelihood pursuant to safety measures implemented by retailers, manufacturers and other organizations globally under a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to improve the situation of ready-made garment (RMG) industry workers. Notwithstanding persisting issues with labour standards and working conditions, the RMG sector is still the main source of employment and economic survival for Bangladeshi women. Although this sector does need reform in working conditions and labour standards, implementing the CAP could lead to a decline in women’s employment, negatively impacting the overall economy. A collective commitment and agreement among all stakeholders, including the Bangladesh Government, to protect women’s employment through medium- and long-term strategies is essential to ensure the sustainability of the Bangladeshi RMG industry.

Keywords: Ready-made garment industry, workplace safety, compliance, women’s livelihood, rights, corrective action plan, Bangladesh, Rana Plaza.