Just a few days ahead of Workers Memorial Day where we remember and mourn those killed and injured in industrial “accidents” we have yet another disaster in Bangladesh. 175 dead and the toll climbing when a factory building collapsed. Over a thousand injured. Rescue operations are still ongoing.
The building was not approved by the RAJUK, the authority for Dhaka’s development. On 23rd of April, it developed cracks in some pillars which were considered fatal and the building was ordered to remain closed until further scrutiny by experts from Bangladesh University of Technology. Though ordered to suspend all operations, the factory owners decided to continue working. They had production dead-lines to meet...dead being the operative word in the circumstances.
The nine storey structure collapsed in minutes. Around 4,000 workers were working inside.
The lives of workers are the least costly of all commodities. In the clothing industry garment workers’ labour is bought cheap and that in turn made their lives cheap. Those workers were simply expendable. Primark’s PR department can issue all their sincerest sympathies they wish. They can promise all the future checks and inspections they want. We have heard it all before.
3.6 million garment workers toil for long hours in more than 5,400 factories, in unsafe and unhealthy conditions. The major High St chains make huge profits exploiting Bangladeshi workers. The multi-nationals will be already preparing their press statement for the next collapsing building or the next fatal fire. The only lesson learned will be how better to deal with the adverse publicity.
The building was not approved by the RAJUK, the authority for Dhaka’s development. On 23rd of April, it developed cracks in some pillars which were considered fatal and the building was ordered to remain closed until further scrutiny by experts from Bangladesh University of Technology. Though ordered to suspend all operations, the factory owners decided to continue working. They had production dead-lines to meet...dead being the operative word in the circumstances.
The nine storey structure collapsed in minutes. Around 4,000 workers were working inside.
The lives of workers are the least costly of all commodities. In the clothing industry garment workers’ labour is bought cheap and that in turn made their lives cheap. Those workers were simply expendable. Primark’s PR department can issue all their sincerest sympathies they wish. They can promise all the future checks and inspections they want. We have heard it all before.
3.6 million garment workers toil for long hours in more than 5,400 factories, in unsafe and unhealthy conditions. The major High St chains make huge profits exploiting Bangladeshi workers. The multi-nationals will be already preparing their press statement for the next collapsing building or the next fatal fire. The only lesson learned will be how better to deal with the adverse publicity.
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