Siddique Islam (National News Service) Dhaka, Tuesday, April 12: at least 26 people were killed after a nine-storey garment factory collapsed in early hours of Monday near Bangladesh's capital and another 200 were feared to be trapped in the rubble, rescue officials said.
The accident occurred when workers were working the night shift on three floors of the nine-storey building of Spectrum Sweater and Knitwear Industry, which was constructed three years ago on 26 decimals of land at Baipail near Nabinagar-Kaliakoir road in Savar industrial town.
Quoting witnesses, police and fire fighters said the accident occurred at about 1 am on the day when the export-oriented garment factory ' was running its night shift.
“The confirmed death toll from the collapse has risen to 26 with four bodies pulled out after Monday midnight," a rescue official said, adding that nearly 100 people were rescued alive.
They said the army brought in sniffer dogs and heavy equipment, including excavators and cranes, to speed up an effort that went on through the night to reach some 200 people who could still be trapped under debris.
A massive pile of bricks and concrete slabs was all that remained of the building. Army medical units supplied bottled water and medicine to trapped survivors after cutting holes in the building's roof.
Rescuers and relatives stood helplessly atop the rubble calling for loved ones. Some used mobile phones to try to contact their trapped relatives and friends.
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia visited the scene at 3:30 pm on Monday to see the rescue operation and to console the victims' families. She also directed the authorities to gear up the rescue operations and ensure adequate treatment for the injured.
Khaleda later went to the Combined Military Hospital to see 12 of the injured there.
Earlier, Commerce Minister Altaf Hossain Choudhury, Communications Minister Barrister Nazmul Huda, Disaster Management Minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf, State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar, Inspector General of Police M Hadisuddin Ahmed, Rab Director General Anwarul Iqbal and Local MP Dewan Mohammad Salahuddin visited the spot.
On the other hand, Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil, MP, visited the spot and blamed the unplanned construction of the building for the tragedy. He demanded exemplary punishment for constructing unplanned building and compensation for the family members of the victims.
The factory produces clothes for export, including to the United States. The textile industry is one of Bangladesh's most important, accounting for more than $5 billion in exports annually -- two-thirds of the country's total exports. (End/si)
Posted by proutist-universal on April 13, 2005 12:43 AM
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"Human beings have still not been able to form a human society, and have still not learned to move with the spirit of a pilgrim. Although many small groups, motivated by self-interest, work together in particular situations, not even a small fraction of their work is done with a broader social motive. By strict definition, shall we have to declare that each small family unit is a society in itself? If going ahead in mutual adjustment only out of narrow self-interest or momentary self-seeking is called society, then in such a society, no provision can be made for the disabled, the diseased or the helpless, because in most cases nobody can benefit from them in any way... in that case there always remains the possibility of some people getting isolated from the collective. All human beings must attach themselves to others by the common bond of love and march forward hand in hand; then only will I proclaim it a society." |