The collapse of the factory on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka, in April 2013 killed more than 1,100 workers, placing scrutiny on major brands and sparking demands for better safety in the world’s second-largest exporter of readymade garments.Yet fashion companies constantly pressure Bangladeshi garment suppliers to keep prices low and make clothing faster, a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) said, resulting in cost-cutting on safety and wages, and the mistreatment of workers.

Two agreements after the Rana Plaza disaster saw retailers involved in initiatives to improve conditions in factories: the Bangladesh Accord on fire and building safety – signed by about 200 major brands and unions – and an alliance on worker safety.But many of Bangladesh’s factory owners said t…