Joynal Abedin Khan :
About fifty lakh people have been working with the Readymade Garments (RMG) sector, remarkably contributing to the national economy.
But the working environment in the factories is miserable, which is harmful and injurious to the employees’ health, said the sources of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
The workers are not served hygienic food and drinking water at their workplaces. As a result, the workers fall sick now and then.
Sources said, at least 15 workers died and over 10 thousand workers fell sick in the last three years.
More than 200 workers of Keya Nit Composite Garment Factory in Gazipur’s Konabari area have fallen ill for taking water on Saturday afternoon, said Mobarok Hossain, In-charge and Sub-Inspector of Konabari Police Outpost.
Police and factory authorities sent the ailing workers to local clinics and hospitals, the SI said.
Following the incident, hundreds of workers of the factory started demonstration and the factory was declared closed for the day.
Prior to this, some 500 workers of a garment factory at Konabari Jarun in Gazipur fell sick after drinking water on September 10. The workers of ‘Keya Knit Composite Factory’ drank water in the morning.
In Savar, over 1000 workers of the ‘Rose Limited’ were hospitalized as they fell sick after drinking contaminated water of the factory at Jamgora in Ashulia on June 30. Even, 200 workers fell sick after taking food in the same garment factory two days ago.
One worker died and some 300 others fell sick after drinking water at Supreme Knitwear factory in Adamjee EPZ area on April 3. The deceased, Dalia, 20, was a knitting operator at the factory.
On April 12, more than one hundred workers of Turag Garments at Ashulia fell sick after eating foods and drinking water supplied by the authorities. Some 200 workers were given bananas, bread and eggs that night, they said.
At least 500 workers of ‘Starlight of Labib Group’ fell sick after drinking tap water at Bhogra area on June 5.
At least 80 workers of ‘JL Sweaters Limited’ factory fell ill after eating food served at their workplace on June 2.
More than 600 workers of a garments factory in Jamgorah area were hospitalised in July 2013, with stomach disorders, after they drank water from a tap inside the factory. The incident took place a day after more than 115 workers of the same factory suffered stomach upset, said
Abdus Sattar, Assistant Deputy Director of Ashulia Industrial Police.
At least 500 workers of a garment factory of Starlight of Labib Group’ fell sick after having tap water at the factory in Bhogra area of the city on June 6, 2013.
Over 200 workers of a garment factory were hospitalised as they fell sick after drinking water of the factory at Jamgarah, Ashulia on July 2, said Mustafizur Rahman, Director of Industrial police in Savar zone.
BGMEA Vice-President Shahidullah Azim told The New Nation on Saturday, We are really sorry for such as incidents. We always bear the cost of medical treatment for every victim worker.”
“We have already sent water samples to International Centre for Diarrhoea Disease Research (ICDDRB), Bangladesh, for examination, the BGMEA leader said.
Dr Ahmed Sharif, Director at Konabari Sharif Hospital, said that no sign of poison was found in the bodies of the sick workers. “They might have fallen ill due to excessive heat and panic.” “We are assuming that the workers are suffering from mass hysteria,” he said.
Mostafizur Rahman, Director of Ashulia Industrial police, said that the law enforcers have remained alert to meet emergency.
“We rush to the spot after getting information of any incident and try to control the situation,” the police official said.
About fifty lakh people have been working with the Readymade Garments (RMG) sector, remarkably contributing to the national economy.
But the working environment in the factories is miserable, which is harmful and injurious to the employees’ health, said the sources of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
The workers are not served hygienic food and drinking water at their workplaces. As a result, the workers fall sick now and then.
Sources said, at least 15 workers died and over 10 thousand workers fell sick in the last three years.
More than 200 workers of Keya Nit Composite Garment Factory in Gazipur’s Konabari area have fallen ill for taking water on Saturday afternoon, said Mobarok Hossain, In-charge and Sub-Inspector of Konabari Police Outpost.
Police and factory authorities sent the ailing workers to local clinics and hospitals, the SI said.
Following the incident, hundreds of workers of the factory started demonstration and the factory was declared closed for the day.
Prior to this, some 500 workers of a garment factory at Konabari Jarun in Gazipur fell sick after drinking water on September 10. The workers of ‘Keya Knit Composite Factory’ drank water in the morning.
In Savar, over 1000 workers of the ‘Rose Limited’ were hospitalized as they fell sick after drinking contaminated water of the factory at Jamgora in Ashulia on June 30. Even, 200 workers fell sick after taking food in the same garment factory two days ago.
One worker died and some 300 others fell sick after drinking water at Supreme Knitwear factory in Adamjee EPZ area on April 3. The deceased, Dalia, 20, was a knitting operator at the factory.
On April 12, more than one hundred workers of Turag Garments at Ashulia fell sick after eating foods and drinking water supplied by the authorities. Some 200 workers were given bananas, bread and eggs that night, they said.
At least 500 workers of ‘Starlight of Labib Group’ fell sick after drinking tap water at Bhogra area on June 5.
At least 80 workers of ‘JL Sweaters Limited’ factory fell ill after eating food served at their workplace on June 2.
More than 600 workers of a garments factory in Jamgorah area were hospitalised in July 2013, with stomach disorders, after they drank water from a tap inside the factory. The incident took place a day after more than 115 workers of the same factory suffered stomach upset, said
Abdus Sattar, Assistant Deputy Director of Ashulia Industrial Police.
At least 500 workers of a garment factory of Starlight of Labib Group’ fell sick after having tap water at the factory in Bhogra area of the city on June 6, 2013.
Over 200 workers of a garment factory were hospitalised as they fell sick after drinking water of the factory at Jamgarah, Ashulia on July 2, said Mustafizur Rahman, Director of Industrial police in Savar zone.
BGMEA Vice-President Shahidullah Azim told The New Nation on Saturday, We are really sorry for such as incidents. We always bear the cost of medical treatment for every victim worker.”
“We have already sent water samples to International Centre for Diarrhoea Disease Research (ICDDRB), Bangladesh, for examination, the BGMEA leader said.
Dr Ahmed Sharif, Director at Konabari Sharif Hospital, said that no sign of poison was found in the bodies of the sick workers. “They might have fallen ill due to excessive heat and panic.” “We are assuming that the workers are suffering from mass hysteria,” he said.
Mostafizur Rahman, Director of Ashulia Industrial police, said that the law enforcers have remained alert to meet emergency.
“We rush to the spot after getting information of any incident and try to control the situation,” the police official said.
