Brands reported to have links with last night's deadly fire at a Bangladeshi garment factory today came under new pressure to sign a legally-binding safety accord.

The Agence France Presse story linked below reports on the Aswad company blaze in Gazipur, which claimed the lives of at least several workers:

“An AFP correspondent at the scene found work order books containing names of the factory's clients in September, which included US brand Gap, British retailer Next,  Swedish fashion label H&M, Australia's Target and French supermarket Carrefour.

“A fabric swatch book marked with Walmart's brand George and labels were also seen by AFP.”

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2013/10/fire-kills-seven-in-new-bangladesh-factory-disaster/

Laura Kuennsberg, the ITN business editor, tweeted: "Managers at factory where workers died last night tell me H +M, Next, Primark, Gap, George at Asda, and Morrisons had fabric made there"

John Hilary, executive director at War on Want, the anti-poverty charity which partners the National Garment Workers' Federation in Bangladesh, said: “Yet more garment workers have died in another factory disaster, less than six months since the Rana Plaza block collapsed,

“How many further tragedies must occur before all the brands that source from the country sign the legally-binding Bangladesh safety accord?

“The less stringent pact agreed by retailers such as Gap and Walmart/Asda (George) undermines efforts to stop this terrible mounting tide of avoidable deaths.”

CONTACT:  War on Want media officer Paul Collins (+44) (0)20 7324 5054 or (+44) (0)7983 550728

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