52 workers killed in factory fire in Bangladesh

• A fire broke out in the Dhaka factory, killing 52 people and injuring 20 others.
• Firefighters are trying to control it, officials said.
• The police stated that they have begun an investigation and will take legal action.

Dhaka: Officials said on Friday that a fire at a juice factory in Bangladesh killed at least 52 people and injured 20 others. This is the latest industrial accident in a country with poor working conditions.

The fire started on Thursday night on the ground floor of a six-story factory building in Narayanganj, southeast of Dhaka. It was still raging on Friday night and firefighters scrambled to control it.

Fire officer Abdullah Al Arefin said that because a key exit in the work area was locked, flames rose from the top floor of the building and many workers jumped out to escape from there.

The chief executive of Narayanganj District, Mustin Billah, said: “Three people were killed by jumping off the building and 49 charred bodies have been found. Reuters From the scene by phone.

“Firefighters are trying to control it because there are chemicals and flammable materials stored in the building,” he added.

The cause of the fire is not yet clear, but police officer Abdullah Mamun told reporters that three police teams have been sent to investigate the incident and will take legal action against the person responsible for the fire.

Due to low fire protection and construction safety standards, there are dozens of disasters in Bangladesh every year. The most recent incident was the most serious since August 2016, when more than 100 people in the south of Chittagong became ill from inhaling gas leaked from a fertilizer plant.

Past accidents have put the country’s powerful textile industry into trouble, which employs millions of people and contributes the most to Bangladesh’s economy.

After the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory building in Dhaka in 2013 killed more than 1,000 workers and injured hundreds, industry officials pledged to improve safety standards. But many factories still fail to meet the requirements.

The non-profit organization Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust Fund said in a statement: “We require a fair investigation to promptly try and punish those responsible for this tragic murder.” It also requires compensation for the affected workers. , And investigate the cause of the fire, including reports on export lockouts.

The plant is owned by the private company Hashem Food and Beverage, which is a subsidiary of the Bangladeshi multinational Sajeeb Group. On Friday, neither company officials responded to calls or emails seeking comment.

Al Arefin said that each building has an area of ​​approximately 35,000 square feet (3,250 square meters), but it can only be accessed via two stairs, and many workers cannot reach it due to the spread of the fire. Some people escaped from the stairs to the roof and were rescued, but many could not because the door to the roof was locked.

Dozens of family members protested outside the factory, demanding justice. But some people, such as Nazma Begum, are still looking for those who are missing. “There is no justice! Where is my son?” Begum cried.