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90pc garment factory bldgs vulnerable to collapse

Reveals Skop report

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
over 90 percent garment factory buildings in the country are vulnerable to collapse at any time like the Spectrum building at Savar, revealed a report of the Sramik Karmochari oikya Parishad (Skop) yesterday.
Terming the garment factories as death trap, the report said there is no security for 20 lakh workers at their workplace in 40,481 garment factories as most buildings are not constructed properly.
The report was prepared by a nine-member investigation committee formed after the tragedy of Spectrum Sweater Industries on April 11 that killed 65 people and injured 85 others, while over
100 went missing.
A total of 336 workers were killed and 1500 critically injured in 30 accidents since 1990, but the government and the factory owners are still indifferent to their safety, it pointed out.
The report suggested formation of an expert committee comprising representatives of government, owners and workers to identify the factories with faulty construction in the greater interest of garment workers.
"Indifference of owners and authorities concerned is primarily responsible for the accidents, while the number of death increases due to lack of equipment for salvage operations," said Nurul Islam, president of Trade Union Kendra, while read-
ing out the report at a press conference at the National Press Club in the city.
He said it is a matter of great piety that no investigation committee was formed by the government after the Spectrum tragedy.
"Though most factories are not built as per the rules of garment factories, the government did not take any steps to identify the risky buildings," said Skop Coordinator Dr Wayajedul Islam Khan.
Skop leaders alleged that salaries of six thousand workers of Spectrum for March and April were not paid even after two months of the accident.
"Families of the victims suffer ignominy as they cannot pay the house rent or the dues to the
grocers," said Abdul Matin Master, president of Jatiya Sramik League.
The speakers demanded immediate payment of arrears of the injured workers and their proper treatment.
Jatiya Sramik Jote President Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, General Secretary of Bangladesh Sanjukta Sramik Federation Mukaddem Hossain, Abdul Kader of Jatiya Sramik Jote Bangladesh, Vice-President of Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal Mahiuddin, acting president of Bangladesh Free Trade Union
Congress Abdul Mukit, and General Secretary of
Bangladesh Labour Federation
Delower Hossain Khan were present on the occasion.