800 RMG workers fall sick in Gazipur

Workers of a garment factory have been taken at a hospital in Gazipur as they fall sick after drinking contaminated water Wednesday. Photo: STAR

Over 800 workers of a garment factory in Bhogra area of Gazipur were hospitalised with acute stomach disorder on Wednesday.

Doctors suspected that the workers of Starlight Sweaters of Labib Group might have fallen sick after drinking contaminated water of the factory, said Mohammad Selim, a sub-inspector (SI) of Gazipur Industrial Police.

Quoting the owner of the factory, Mosharraf Hossain, assistant superintendent of police (media cell in industrial police), said the number of sick workers might be around 400.

Most of them have vomiting tendency while some of them complained of upset stomach, reported our Gazipur correspondent.

The workers of the factory fell sick about two hours after joining their work around 10:00am, said the SI.

“The garment authorities sent them to Gazipur Sadar Hospital, Tongi Hospital and other local private clinics when the workers started vomiting, the police official said.

Many workers have become weak due to constant vomiting and some of them have been suffering from acute stomach-pain, said Tapan Kanti Sarkar, residential medical officer of Gazipur Sadar Hospital.

District Civil Surgeon Syed Habibullah suspected that the incident might have occurred due to a problem in the water supply line of the factory.

A team has already been sent to the factory to investigate the cause, he said.