Stop Slaughter of Garments Factory Workers in Bangladesh

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". Edmund Burke

On 24 April 2013 a garments factory building in Savar, Bangladesh collapsed killing and maiming scores of workers. It was a scene of total carnage. Despite the tireless effort of rescue workers and volunteers, the salvage operation continued for 20 days. Of the corpses recovered (over 1100), many were unidentifiable. Of those rescued (over 2400), many are now disabled for life and many are likely to have mental health problems.12 of the injured workers have succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Those trapped in the building debris for days suffered physical and mental torture lying next to dead colleagues or under heavy machinery combined with the rank stench of blood in the summer heat and smoke from the appliances used in the rescue operation. . . Some had their arm or leg amputated and some choked to death.

The building in question had violated construction regulations. The mass murder of garments factory workers due to either structurally unsound buildings or fire in the absence of proper safeguarding measures have become a regular feature in Bangladesh. This therefore was not an accident but a man-made calamity waiting to happen and must never happen again.

We want justice for the victims. We demand punishment for those responsible for this horrific and shameful crime. We call upon all those responsible to rehabilitate injured workers and pay a reasonable compensation package to the families of the deceased. This petition is therefore important to prevent further similar incidents from destroying innocent lives, give due recognition to the workforce and strengthen the garments industry.

Image: Relatives with photographs of victims (still missing) of the Savar incident, published in "eProthom Alo" , Bangladesh.