DHAKA: A North American-led group of fast fashion brands operating in Bangladesh said Friday that it had closed or partially shut seven factories for remediation after inspectors found structural problems and safety concerns.

The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety — which includes 26 big brands such as Walmart, Hudson’s Bay Company, The Gap, Canadian Tire and The Children’s Place — said it will extend compensation to workers for up to four months if they are unable to work due to the closures.

The report was published by thestar.com on Friday.

It said that the shut downs are the result of an inspection program that began following the Rana Plaza factory collapse, which took the lives of 1,129 people and injured thousands more on April 24, 2013.

BDST: 1504 HRS, JULY 12, 2014