FROM PAGE 3

The collection covers 10 major tragedies: the Rana Plaza collapse, the Spectrum Garments factory collapse, the Nimtoli fire, the Tazreen Fashions fire, the Sitakunda fire, the Banani FR Tower fire, the Tampaco Foils factory explosion, the Chawkbazar fire, the That’s It Sportswear factory fire, and the Bailey Road Green Cozy Cottage fire.

Nabila Morshed, a student of Jagannath University, stood transfixed before a haunting image at the Rana Plaza section.

“Look at this,” she said quietly. “How brutal. A young woman’s anklet still hangs from her foot, with a drop of blood clinging to it. The blood on her foot almost looks like Alta (red dye). Is a human life so cheap?”

Her words found an echo in Rajib, a fine arts student from the University of Development Alternative. Reflecting on a photograph from the FR Tower fire, he said, “I saw an image where several people were hanging, gripping each other’s legs, while flames raged beside them. The desperation to survive -- how powerful it is. These are our people. Because of someone’s greed, because of institutional negligence, they had to leave this world.”

Another photograph, from the Nimtoli fire, left numerous visitors visibly shaken. It captures a large pot of biryani, with kebabs and potatoes arranged for guests who never arrived -- some of whom may have perished in the blaze that spread from a chemical warehouse.

According to the organisers, the exhibition aims to make visible the realities of industrial disasters, highlight the lived experiences of workers, and reinforce that a safe workplace is a fundamental right. It seeks to encourage dialogue and accountability among policymakers, factory owners, international buyers, and other stakeholders to ensure a safer, more humane, and sustainable working environment.

Ultimately, the exhibition does not just document tragedy. Rather, it demands remembrance, responsibility, and reform.