Factory fire near Dhaka claims 25
Source: Agencies |
December 15, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A DEVASTATING blaze raced through a multistory garment factory near Bangladesh's capital Dhaka yesterday, killing at least 25 people and injuring more than 100 others.
Fire official Golam Mostafa said the fire started in a 10-story factory owned by local business giant Hameem Group in the Ashulia industrial zone, just outside Dhaka. It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze.
Local Journalist Rafiqul Islam said he saw at least 25 bodies being loaded onto ambulances.
Diganta television reported at least 20 people died and more than 100 were injured.
Monir Hossain, another journalist, said the blaze broke out on the two upper floors during lunch break. A gate on a stairwell was locked, trapping people inside, he quoted witnesses as saying.
Islam said some 13,000 people work at the factory each day, though most were outside buying lunch when the fire started. Officials said the death toll would rise
Mostafa said army soldiers joined the rescue operation.
Bangladesh has about 4,000 garment factories that export more than US$10 billion worth of products a year, mainly to the United States and Europe. Customers include Wal-Mart, Tesco, H&M, Zara, Carrefour, Gap, Metro, Marks & Spencer and JCPenney.
Recent protests by low-paid garment workers have gripped the country. Workers demanding the implementation of a new minimum wage clashed with police at an industrial zone in southeastern Bangladesh on Sunday, leaving three people dead and 100 hurt.
Authorities opened fire and used tear gas after thousands of workers attacked factories and smashed vehicles at the Chittagong Export Processing Zone. The zone - 215 kilometers southeast of Dhaka - houses about 70 foreign companies that mainly manufacture garments, shoes and bicycles, and employ about 150,000 workers.
In the first increase since 2006, the government in July raised the official minimum wage to 3,000 takas (US$45) a month from 1,662 takas. The new pay structure took effect in November, but workers say many factories haven't implemented it yet.
Fire official Golam Mostafa said the fire started in a 10-story factory owned by local business giant Hameem Group in the Ashulia industrial zone, just outside Dhaka. It was not immediately clear what caused the blaze.
Local Journalist Rafiqul Islam said he saw at least 25 bodies being loaded onto ambulances.
Diganta television reported at least 20 people died and more than 100 were injured.
Monir Hossain, another journalist, said the blaze broke out on the two upper floors during lunch break. A gate on a stairwell was locked, trapping people inside, he quoted witnesses as saying.
Islam said some 13,000 people work at the factory each day, though most were outside buying lunch when the fire started. Officials said the death toll would rise
Mostafa said army soldiers joined the rescue operation.
Bangladesh has about 4,000 garment factories that export more than US$10 billion worth of products a year, mainly to the United States and Europe. Customers include Wal-Mart, Tesco, H&M, Zara, Carrefour, Gap, Metro, Marks & Spencer and JCPenney.
Recent protests by low-paid garment workers have gripped the country. Workers demanding the implementation of a new minimum wage clashed with police at an industrial zone in southeastern Bangladesh on Sunday, leaving three people dead and 100 hurt.
Authorities opened fire and used tear gas after thousands of workers attacked factories and smashed vehicles at the Chittagong Export Processing Zone. The zone - 215 kilometers southeast of Dhaka - houses about 70 foreign companies that mainly manufacture garments, shoes and bicycles, and employ about 150,000 workers.
In the first increase since 2006, the government in July raised the official minimum wage to 3,000 takas (US$45) a month from 1,662 takas. The new pay structure took effect in November, but workers say many factories haven't implemented it yet.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
