‘Bring culprits to book’

The government must take proper steps to punish those responsible for the deadly fire at a plastic factory in Keraniganj on December 12 that has so far claimed 13 lives, demanded members of Bangladesh Trade Union Centre (BTUC) yesterday.

They also demanded that the victims’ families be compensated and the injured be treated properly. The demands were made at a rally in front of Jatiya Press Club.

“How did the factory run illegally for so many years?” asked Shahidullah Chowdhury, president of BTUC. “The government must take actions against factory authorities and different regulatory organisations,” he added.

The fire-ravaged factory, with around 15,000 sq ft floor space, had a single gate for entry and exit and no emergency exits whatsoever. It had six large rooms inside, but everyone there had to use that one gate to get out.  

So far, 13 workers have died of burns. Of the injured, 10 are on life support at the ICU of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery and nine others were stated to be in critical condition at the high dependency unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

At yesterday’s rally, Dr Wazedul Islam Khan, general secretary of the trade union, said compensation announced by the government based on labour law is not adequate.

BTUC also demanded that the government take initiative to resolve the crisis of jute mill workers. If the government fails to come up with a peaceful solution, it will compel the workers to go for a tougher agitation, they added.