Two Bangladeshi garment workers killed in a stampede
12 December 2011
Jeesimn Akter, 20 years old, and Taslima Akter, 22 years old, were killed last week in a stampede following a boiler explosion in the Eurotex garment factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 62 workers were also badly injured.
According to War on Want partner, the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF), who has members in this factory, Eurotex is part of the Continental group and they supply mainly to Tommy Hilfiger, Gap, Zara and TCHIBO.
NGWF has been campaigning for a long time to put an end to garment workers deaths through the improvements in health and safety at the workplace. On 4 December, NGWF organised a rally demanding:
- Comprehensive list of dead and injured workers
- Proper treatment for all injured
- An immediate compensation of 500,000 taka (approximately £4,000) for each of the victims' families
- Additional compensation in the form of life long income support for the families of the victims
- Bangladeshi government, factory owners and international buyers to improve health and safety conditions in the factories
War on Want stands in solidarity with the victims and their families and calls on factory owners and retailers supplying clothing from Eurotex to ensure adequate compensation is provided to the families of those workers who lost their lives. It also demands a full independent enquiry into the cause of the accident, bringing those responsible to justice.
War on Want campaigns for an end to unsafe working conditions in Bangladeshi garment factories. It calls on those high street retailers who source clothing from Bangladesh, as well as the British Government, to take action to ensure the safety of workers and prevent tragedies such as this.
Comment:
