Inquiry into Dhaka stampede

The owners of the factory may be prosecuted

By Kamal Ahmed in Dhaka

Bangladeshi police and fire officials are investigating a stampede at a clothing factory in the capital, Dhaka, on Wednesday that left at least 20 people dead.

The stampede started after a fire alarm went off following an electrical short-circuit.

All the victims - mostly women - were crushed to death.

The authorities say that more than 100 workers have died in the past five years in similar fires in the Dhaka garment sector.

Safety ignored

Officials have said the factory-owners may be prosecuted, although there is no precedent for this.

In previous incidents, victims have been given compensation by the owners and the government, ending any legal proceedings.

Safety measures are said to be ignored

The head of the fire service, General Anwar Farid, told the BBC that despite warnings following routine surveys by his department, most factories ignore safety rules.

Another official at the office of the chief inspector of factories said that although it was possible to bring charges against the owners of dangerous factories, it was unlikely they would receive harsh sentences.

He says re-offending is a common practice because in most cases those found guilty face minimal penalties.

Lucrative sector

The president of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Kutubuddin Ahmed, said that it was difficult to enforce safety rules as most of the 3,000 factories in Dhaka were housed in rented residential properties.

Mr Ahmed said mushrooming growth in the sector was to blame, and the government should immediately set-up an industrial area for garment manufacturers.

The government is thought by most observers to be unlikely to take tough action because this could lead to hundreds of factory closures.

Bangladesh earns four billion dollars a year from garment exports.

The sector employs nearly one and a-half-million mostly people, most of whom are women.