The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh which was supposed to expire yesterday was extended by a further three months as only two out of over 190 clothing retailers had agreed to renew their contract.

"Ahead of the expiration of the 2018 Bangladesh Transition Accord next week, UNI Global Union, IndustriALL Global Union, and a negotiating committee representing leading fashion brands are pleased to announce that they have reached a tentative agreement to extend the current commitments of the 2018 Accord for three months as negotiations continue," said a statement released by the UNI Global Union website.

Signatories to the Accord, which was formulated just weeks after the collapse of Rana Plaza in 2013 and acts as a binding safety programme, can only source from Accord-certified safe factories. Failing to do so could expose the brand to litigation.

The signatories include some of the biggest brands like Primark, Tesco, H&M, American Eagle Outfitters, Marks & Spencer, Inditex, Benetton, Adidas, Loblaw among others.

However, only the British brand ASOS Ltd. and the German brand Tchibo have agreed to re-sign the contract. The current contract was signed in May 2018.

"We welcome this extension, which will allow us more time to negotiate a successor agreement to the Accord. We must put the mechanisms in place to ensure the success and credibility of the RSC as well as a safe workplace for millions of workers," said Christy Hoffman, UNI General Secretary.

"This three month extension [...] demonstrates that we will not allow the safety and health of the Bangladeshi garment workers to be jeopardized while we continue negotiating a successor agreement with the brands, preserving the achievements in Bangladesh and also expanding them to other countries," said IndustriALL general secretary Valter Sanches.