"What will end these disasters is an urgent program of building renovations, " said Scott Nova, executive director of the Worker Rights Consortium, who attended the meeting.

WSJ: Retailers Work on Plan to Prevent Industrial Disasters

Scott Nova, executive director of the Worker Rights Consortium, a Washington-based nonprofit monitoring group, said labor-rights groups' calls for better safety measures at Bangladesh factories had been met with "vague promises" from retailers.

WSJ: At Least 200 Die in Bangladesh Building Collapse

"There is no chance this will be sustained unless major brands and retailers commit to raise prices so factories can afford the renovations that are essential to prevent future disasters, " said Scott Nova, executive director of the Worker Rights Consortium, a monitoring group in Washington.

WSJ: Bangladesh Closes Three Factories of Top Exporter