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| Bangladesh factory fire puts renewed pressure on clothing firms | Bangladesh factory fire puts renewed pressure on clothing firms |
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| Western clothing stores are under pressure again after another fatal industrial accident at a garment factory in Bangladesh reported to be producing clothes for high streets in Europe and the US. | |
| The news of eight deaths in a fire in a factory where clothes for western retailers were produced came as the death toll from the collapse of the Rana Plaza complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, two weeks ago climbed above 950. | |
| The illegally constructed, eight-storey Rana Plaza collapsed on 24 April while thousands of people were working inside in five garment factories that supply leading western brands. An engineer had declared it unsafe a day before. | The illegally constructed, eight-storey Rana Plaza collapsed on 24 April while thousands of people were working inside in five garment factories that supply leading western brands. An engineer had declared it unsafe a day before. |
| One hundred bodies were found on Thursday, military teams clearing rubble at the site told the Guardian, as relatives still waiting to learn the fate of loved ones looked on. | One hundred bodies were found on Thursday, military teams clearing rubble at the site told the Guardian, as relatives still waiting to learn the fate of loved ones looked on. |
| Primark and its Canadian counterpart Loblaw have announced they will compensate the victims of the tragedy, the world's worst industrial accident since the Bhopal gas leak in India in 1984. | Primark and its Canadian counterpart Loblaw have announced they will compensate the victims of the tragedy, the world's worst industrial accident since the Bhopal gas leak in India in 1984. |
| But the news that the factory where the fatal fire broke out on Wednesday night also supplied western firms will again focus attention on the role of European and US high street stores in the booming garments industry in Bangladesh. | But the news that the factory where the fatal fire broke out on Wednesday night also supplied western firms will again focus attention on the role of European and US high street stores in the booming garments industry in Bangladesh. |
| Police officials told the Guardian that the fire had started on the ground floor of the Tung Hai Sweater factory in the Mirpur suburb of Dhaka at around midnight. Among the dead were the factory's managing director and principal owner, a senior police officer, a member of the youth wing of the ruling Awami League political party and a number of bodyguards. | Police officials told the Guardian that the fire had started on the ground floor of the Tung Hai Sweater factory in the Mirpur suburb of Dhaka at around midnight. Among the dead were the factory's managing director and principal owner, a senior police officer, a member of the youth wing of the ruling Awami League political party and a number of bodyguards. |
| A website for Tung Hai boasted of supplying retailers in Germany, Ireland, Spain, Canada and the UK with products including cardigans, jumpers and pyjamas. | A website for Tung Hai boasted of supplying retailers in Germany, Ireland, Spain, Canada and the UK with products including cardigans, jumpers and pyjamas. |
| The factory's manager, Jabedur Rahman, said the building was empty at the time of the fire except for the owner and his associates, who were having a meeting on the ninth floor when the accident happened. Workers had left after their shift finished at around 8pm. | |
| "The owner and his friends were found on the stairs but pronounced dead after they were taken to hospital," said Rahman. "They may have died of smoke inhalation while trying to find their way down." | "The owner and his friends were found on the stairs but pronounced dead after they were taken to hospital," said Rahman. "They may have died of smoke inhalation while trying to find their way down." |
| On Thursday the facade of the 11-storey Tung Hai building, which towers over the blue-collar neighbourhood of Mirpur, was blackened by smoke. Workers crowded around the entrance, kept at a distance by police officers. | |
| Piles of yarn as well as finished garments lay strewn on the ground floor. Among them were items appearing to be for well-known western labels. These included Cedarwood State and Atmosphere, both owned by Primark. | Piles of yarn as well as finished garments lay strewn on the ground floor. Among them were items appearing to be for well-known western labels. These included Cedarwood State and Atmosphere, both owned by Primark. |
| When contacted, the head of compliance at Primark's Dhaka office, Arafat Kabir, confirmed that Tung Hai was a long-term supplier. | When contacted, the head of compliance at Primark's Dhaka office, Arafat Kabir, confirmed that Tung Hai was a long-term supplier. |
| "This was an active factory," he said. "It wasn't a ramshackle building. It was structurally sound and had adequate firefighting equipment. We offer condolences to the families of the deceased." | "This was an active factory," he said. "It wasn't a ramshackle building. It was structurally sound and had adequate firefighting equipment. We offer condolences to the families of the deceased." |
| He said that Primark executives had done a series of compliance audits at the factory and the last audit had been around six months ago. | |
| The fashion chain New Look said it had had no involvement with the Tung Hai factory for over a year. "We have a formal auditing process in place, using our own on-the-ground teams as well as external assessors, to ensure every factory used by our suppliers is working towards full compliance with our welfare and safety standards. Our hearts go out to all the people affected by this tragedy," a spokeswoman said. | The fashion chain New Look said it had had no involvement with the Tung Hai factory for over a year. "We have a formal auditing process in place, using our own on-the-ground teams as well as external assessors, to ensure every factory used by our suppliers is working towards full compliance with our welfare and safety standards. Our hearts go out to all the people affected by this tragedy," a spokeswoman said. |
| Earlier this week the Bangladesh government said it had shut down 16 garment factories in Dhaka and two in the south-eastern port city of Chittagong for safety reasons following the collapse of Rana Plaza. | Earlier this week the Bangladesh government said it had shut down 16 garment factories in Dhaka and two in the south-eastern port city of Chittagong for safety reasons following the collapse of Rana Plaza. |
| "These factories will only be allowed to reopen after they have made structural and safety improvements," a senior official of the labour ministry said. "Every factory in the country will be inspected as part of a government initiative to ensure safety." | "These factories will only be allowed to reopen after they have made structural and safety improvements," a senior official of the labour ministry said. "Every factory in the country will be inspected as part of a government initiative to ensure safety." |
| There are concerns that corruption and political influence may allow owners to evade regulations. | There are concerns that corruption and political influence may allow owners to evade regulations. |
| Bangladesh is the second biggest garment maker in the world, with 4 million workers, mostly women, employed in the industry. Many of them face chronically unsafe working conditions – with blocked or non-existent fire exits and shaky foundations – and receive barely subsistence wages. | |
| More than 700 workers have died in fires in garment factories in Bangladesh since 2005, according to labour groups who complain that neither retailers nor factory owners give enough importance to safety. | More than 700 workers have died in fires in garment factories in Bangladesh since 2005, according to labour groups who complain that neither retailers nor factory owners give enough importance to safety. |
| At the Rana Plaza factory, the 100 bodies found on Thursday were uncovered by army bulldozers nosing into the rubble of the collapsed ground floor. Army engineers said the remains could have been driven into the ground floor by the force of falling masonry. | |
| Families continued to crowd around the site, clutching photos of those still missing. Army officials co-ordinating the rescue said the decomposition of the bodies meant relatives would have to wait for DNA tests, which they said could take up to six months. | Families continued to crowd around the site, clutching photos of those still missing. Army officials co-ordinating the rescue said the decomposition of the bodies meant relatives would have to wait for DNA tests, which they said could take up to six months. |
| Roughly 2,500 people were rescued from the building, including many injured, but there is no official estimate of the numbers still missing. | Roughly 2,500 people were rescued from the building, including many injured, but there is no official estimate of the numbers still missing. |
| The government has blamed the owners and builders of the eight-storey complex for using shoddy building materials, including substandard rods, bricks and cement, and not obtaining the necessary clearances. | The government has blamed the owners and builders of the eight-storey complex for using shoddy building materials, including substandard rods, bricks and cement, and not obtaining the necessary clearances. |
| Kalpona Akter, executive director of the Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity, said western brands must do more to improve safety in Bangladesh. | Kalpona Akter, executive director of the Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity, said western brands must do more to improve safety in Bangladesh. |
| "Fires are happening in modern factories as well as old ones," she said. "We must build a culture of safety in Bangladesh and international retailers must be part of this." | "Fires are happening in modern factories as well as old ones," she said. "We must build a culture of safety in Bangladesh and international retailers must be part of this." |
| Mannan Kochi, vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the fire was another blow to the image of the country's garment industry. | Mannan Kochi, vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the fire was another blow to the image of the country's garment industry. |
| "This is a terrible accident and the owner himself lost his life," he said. "This was a modern factory. We will co-operate fully with the government to make sure we get to the bottom of what happened." | "This is a terrible accident and the owner himself lost his life," he said. "This was a modern factory. We will co-operate fully with the government to make sure we get to the bottom of what happened." |
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