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The International Trade Union Confederation Bangladesh Council (ITUC-BC) Saturday expressed deep concern over the death of 52 workers and injury of more than 30 in a fire at Hashem Food and Beverage factory in Narayanganj's Rupganj.
ITUC-BC Chairman Anwar Hossain and Secretary General Md Mojibur Rahman Bhuiyan demanded legal action against "the culprits as it appears that the authorities killed the workers in a planned way by blocking the exit of the factory and preventing rescuers from entering the building during the fire."
Also read: Locked inside a factory without fire exit, 52 lives go up in flames
The global trade union federation demanded compensation for deceased workers' families, according to international standards; rehabilitation and compensation for the injured.
ITUC-BC said factory fires are recurring due to inefficiency, negligence and indifference of the concerned authorities. It urged the government to form a judicial inquiry committee against all those, directly and indirectly, responsible for the incident.
Also read: Rupganj factory fire: Sajeeb Group chairman, 4 sons, CEO among 8 arrested
Also, the global trade union federation called for making the results of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments' work on anomalies of the factory – especially the recruitment of child workers – public.