3 probe bodies formed

Three separate probe committees were formed to investigate the fire incident at Garib & Garib Sweater Factory in Bhogra, Gazipur that killed 21 workers including 15 women early yesterday.
The government constituted a three-member committee, headed by Additional District Magistrate Hassan Sarwar, to investigate the incident. The committee visited the spot yesterday and was asked to submit a report in three days.
The fire brigade authorities formed a three-member committee, headed by its deputy director (administration and finance), to find out the cause of the fire. However, they suspect the fire might have originated from a short-circuit.
On the other hand, BGMEA also formed a seven-member committee in this regard.
The factory will reopen on Tuesday.
The bodies of the victims were handed over to their families yesterday afternoon without autopsy although the bodies were brought to Gazipur Sadar Hospital for post-mortem early yesterday.
The factory authorities gave Tk 15,000 to each of the victims' families in presence of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association officials for transportation of the bodies and burials.
All the deceased were buried in their respective villages.
The fire broke out on the first floor of the factory Thursday around 9:10pm. Fire fighters brought the fire under control around 11:30pm. On August 21 last year, fire broke out at the very same factory that killed a fire fighter.
Materials and machinery on the factory's first floor were totally destroyed while those on the other floors remained unharmed, as the fire did not spread to other floors.
The owners of the sweater factory could not be reached after several attempts. In a press release, the factory authorities condoled the death of the workers and announced compensation to the victims' families.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock over the incident and conveyed condolences to the bereaved family members.
State Minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanak and members of different garment workers' organisations and rights organisations visited the factory yesterday.