Another worker dies of burns
Another worker injured in the December 11 fire at a Keraniganj plastic factory died yesterday, raising the death toll to 20.
Sohan Rana (19), who sustained 50 percent burns, died at Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in the city around 11:45am, said Coordinator Dr Samanta Lal Sen.
Four more injured are on life support at the institute while eight are in critical condition at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, doctors said.
Hailing from Jamalpur district, Sohan was the youngest among three siblings. “My brother died due to the factory owner’s negligence. We demand just punishment,” said his elder brother Sazu Mia.
Sazu said Sohan began working at the factory just a week before the fire incident. “He was a student at a local college in Jamalpur. He came to Dhaka on December 3 and joined the factory to work alongside studying,” he said.
Meanwhile, leaders of different worker and labour rights organisations yesterday visited the ravaged factory and exchanged views with its workers and locals.
During the visit, they demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible for fire incidents, including the ones in Keraniganj and Gazipur, and proper compensation for the victims’ families. They also demanded that the authorities concerned identify such risky factories.
The plastic factory at Chunkutia had been operating without permission for years. It had a single gate for entry and exit and no emergency exits whatsoever, said survivors and fire officials.
Locals alleged that the authorities concerned turned a blind eye to the lack of safety measures at the factory even though it had been producing disposable plastic cups and plates for around 10 years.
Keraniganj upazila administration sealed it off on Friday.
Relatives of the victims demanded stern action against the factory owner, Nazrul Islam, who is on the run, for failing to ensure safety and better work environment.
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