Photography // Taslima Akhter

The photos below are taken from a collection entitled 'The Life and Struggle of Garment Workers' by Taslima Akhter, a Bangladeshi photographer and activist. She'd already been documenting working conditions in the Dhakar region when the Rana Plaza disaster occurred on 24th Aprl 2013.

The claustrophobic images of the squalid living quarters of workers suitably reflect the similar conditions they endure whilst working and serve as a harrowing reminder of the price these workers pay for our sartorial enjoyment.

The issue of worker exploitation isn't just at the hands of consumers, or international brands (the popular phrase 'corporate social responsibility' seems hollow in the realisation that most companies appear to put their profit margins before basic human rights). It goes without saying that we can expect further disasters to be reported if countries such as Bangladesh are not prepared to change their health and safety standards as a matter of urgency. What is the use of raising wages but still expecting workers to face perilous conditions?

Taslima's images caught my eye as they seemed to embody the tangible political power of documentary photography - the publication of her evocative work (in particular one photo that you're likely to have seen, named by the media as 'The Final Embrace') ensures that such events cannot be forgotten in a hurry, and such images are a useful tool when lobbying governments.

As a young woman, being in the target demographic for cheaply produced, so-called 'fast fashion', I am conscious that I have a minuscule amount of power for change. Although the majority of my clothes are secondhand via eBay, I know I could make more of an effort to stop buying from high street shops (I type this wearing an H&M t shirt). I boycotted Topshop after the Philip Green tax evasion scandal, but was lured back by a pair of black leather sandals here, a slouchy jumper there. The question when making such purchases is: are they worth it? Taslima's photographs show the human consequences of corporate iniquity - prompting the simple response - no. However, boycotting shops won't solve the problem (as I'm sure thousands of retail staff would agree) - we have to tell brands why we're reluctant to shop there. Log on to Clean Clothes Campaign to get involved if you agree.

See more of Taslima Akhter's work here.