50 Savar RMG workers fall sick for unknown reason

Aggrieved factory workers stage demonstration in front of AKH Knitting and Dyeing Ltd at Savar, on the outskirts area of the capital, as 50 of their fellow workers fall sick for unknown reasons Sunday. Photo: STAR

At least 50 readymade garment workers of a factory fell sick today for unknown reasons at Savar's Rajphulbaria area on the outskirts of the capital.

Several hundred RMG workers demonstrated before the factory after the incident, our Savar correspondent reports.

Doctors say the syndrome they all showed were headache, chest pain, vomiting and abdominal pain, but were yet to ascertain the cause of the problem.

Factory insiders said that workers of AKH Knitting and Dyeing Ltd were falling sick for the past few days for unknown reasons after two workers died last month of "cardiac arrest".

Today, about 50 workers became pale and fell sick shortly after they arrived at the factory around 8:00am, said SM Sadullah, director of the factory. "They were rushed to a hospital."

According to him, there are over 5,000 workers employed in the unit. The factory was compelled to close for two days to avoid any further untoward incident.

Dr Anower Kader Nazim, director of Enam Medical, said most of the workers were suffering from headache, chest pain, vomiting, and belly pain. "We are yet to find the cause of the illness."

Mirza Shaijuddin, inspector of Ashulia Industrial Police, said additional forces were deployed around the factory area to avoid any unrest.