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The World News Headlines Primark and Loblaw pledge compensation
This Week Damascus bomb kills 13
A blast near Syria’s interior ministry has rocked the central Damascus district of Marjeh killing 13 people and injuring over 70 others, state television said, just a day after the country’s prime minister survived a car bomb attack. The Britainbased Syrian Observatory for Human Rights gave a lower toll, saying nine people were killed in Tuesday’s blast.
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wo Western retailers have promised to compensate families of garment workers killed while making their clothes in a Bangladesh factory building that collapsed last week in the country’s worst industrial accident. The pledge from Britain’s Primark and Canada’s Loblaw came after the owner of the collapsed Rana Plaza was brought before a court in the capital, Dhaka, on Monday, where lawyers and protesters chanted “hang him, hang him.” At least 385 people were killed in the disaster, the latest incident to raise serious questions about worker safety and low wages in the poor South Asian country that relies on garments for 80 percent of its exports. With almost no hope left of finding further survivors, heavy machinery has been brought in to start clearing the mass of concrete and debris from the site in the commercial suburb of Savar, about 20 miles from Dhaka. Eight people have been arrested: four factory bosses, two engineers, building owner Mohammed Sohel Rana, and his father, Abdul Khalek. Police are looking for a fifth factory boss, Spanish citizen David Mayor, although it was unclear whether he was in Bangladesh at the time of the accident. There were angry scenes as Rana, a local leader of the ruling Awami League’s youth front, was led into court on Monday wearing a helmet and protective police jacket, witnesses said. “Put the killer on the gallows. He is not worth any mercy or lenient penalty,” one onlooker outside the court shouted.
Musharraf held over killing
Rescue workers have been working non-stop to save as many lives as they can but the cries for help from within the building have faded away
Shock and trauma as factory collapse kills 400
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he collapse of a factory building in the Savar area of Dhaka is known to have killed an estimated 400 people, with another 600 unaccounted for. Hundreds more were taken to hospital for injuries sustained during the collapse of the building where it is estimated that more than 3,000 people worked. Rescue workers have been working round the clock, but hopes of finding any more people alive in the rubble have faded. Heavy machinery has now been brought in to clear the rubble, which will undoubtedly reveal yet more harrowing scenes.
The Bangladesh government has praised the emergency services of the country as well as the army for their efforts in saving so many people despite many moments when it was thought all hope was lost. Volunteer workers were working with their bare hands to dig their way through to places from which anguished cries were heard from trapped survivors. This disaster is believed to be the worst industrial accident in the history of Bangladesh and many people around the world are strenuously debating on the causes and responsibilities. Much of the criticism has
been directed at the overseas employers of the workers – many of which are British companies. Criticism has also been levelled at the Bangladesh government for failing to enforce building safety regulations. Cracks had appeared in the days before the collapse and the building’s owner is believed to have been advised to close the complex down. But survivors told of being threatened with losing their jobs if they refused to go in to work. The building’s owner, Mohammed Sohel Rana, has been arrested. He is thought to have had permission to build
a five-storey complex, but another three floors were added without official permission. The sheer weight of people and machinery, along with the extra three floors is believed to have been the cause of the collapse of the building. However, a thorough investigation is yet to be undertaken. Many observers are taking a broader view, saying that the insatiable demand for cheap clothes is what has driven countries like Bangladesh to continue cutting corners to make as much money as possible. Dhaka factory collapse, 38-39
Children reportedly born in rubble of collapsed factory
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t least one woman is reported to have given birth while trapped under the rubble of a collapsed Bangladesh garment factory building. CNN, citing state news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), reports that one mother and her baby were rescued Friday amongst 50 others.
Today the death toll at the site rose to around 300, with 2,300 people rescued from the building so far. More people are expected to be trapped underneath what’s left of the building, but officials have said the rescue efforts will end tomorrow morning, when heavy machinery will be used to remove the
remaining bodies and debris. The eight-floor building collapsed early on Wednesday after the top floors of the factory came crashing down on those below. Experts say these disasters will become more common in Bangladesh as people continue to construct buildings illegally and with little oversight.
Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf will spend Pakistan’s general election day under lock and key after a court extended his house arrest over the murder of Benazir Bhutto. An anti-terrorism court in the garrison city of Rawalpindi put Musharraf on a 14-day judicial remand over the death of the former prime minister, who was assassinated in a gun and bomb attack in December 2007.
Mandela ‘used’ by Zuma
A new video which shows South African President Jacob Zuma and officials of the governing African National Congress visiting a frail Nelson Mandela has stirred controversy. The video of the encounter, aired by state broadcaster South African Broadcasting Corporation, has sparked accusations of exploiting the anti-apartheid hero’s illness.
Anti-Gaddafi gunmen attack
Armed men have surrounded Libya’s justice ministry to step up demands for former aides to deposed leader Muammar Gaddafi to be barred from senior government posts. “Several armed men in vehicles equipped with anti-aircraft guns surrounded the ministry of justice,” Walid Ben Rabha of the information department.
Threat to evict Masai tribe
The Tanzanian government has ordered thousands of Masai tribesmen to abandon traditional grazing lands to make way for a conservation site. But the Maasai are refusing to leave their ancestral land. They say the real reason they are being forced out is to give a Dubai-based hunting company exclusive access.
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News Warsi meets Dipu Moni
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enior Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi met last week with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni. Baroness Warsi started the meeting by offering her thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of those that lost their lives when the building collapsed in Savar. They then discussed the upcoming elections, recent violence and the International Crimes Tribunal. Speaking after the meeting, Baroness Warsi said: “This is an important year for Bangladesh with Parliamentary elections due by January 2014. I have been clear that violence and vandalism have no place in politics and have encouraged the government to work with all parties on dialogue that supports free, fair and inclusive elections.”
London fire stations face closure
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ondon Mayor Boris Johnson’s demand for cost savings has led to a plan to close 12 fire stations in London – a plan which has been met with widespread opposition since it was announced; and now the public is being asked to express its opinions on the issue. Last year, the London Fire Brigade was told it must save £65 million in two years. In response to Mayor Johnson’s demands, the LFB said
Boris, under attack from unions
it can save approximately £29 million over two years. The cost-cutting measures being proposed would include cutting 520 firefighters’ jobs and removing 18 fire engines. The BBC reported that LFB commissioner Ron Dobson had conceded that because of improved fire safety the brigade attends half as many fires as it did 10 years ago. But he said: “There is always more to be done. “In the future, the resources available to the brigade will reduce and the number of people who can work for the brigade and provide our services will also reduce. “We have passed the point where we can make the necessary level of savings without any impact on our fire stations.”
Have your say THE FUTURE OF LONDON FIRE BRIGADE London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority is consulting on its Draft Fifth London Safety Plan and we’d like your views. We are holding a public meeting in Tower Hamlets on Tuesday, 7 May 7 – 9pm at Skeel Lecture Theatre, People’s Palace Building, Queen Mary University, Mile End Road, E1 4NS where we will outline our plans. The plan sets out how the fire and rescue service could be delivered over the next few years. Amongst other things, it includes plans to keep within our target attendance times for getting to incidents and details how savings worth £28.8m could be made. These proposals also involve the closure of 12 fire stations, the removal of 18 fire engines, the redeployment of four fire engines and a reduction in the number of firefighter posts of 520. For full details of the plan proposals and our online consultation go to:
london-fire.gov.uk/LSP5
If you’d like us to send you a copy of our plan and consultation document, ring:
0800 9888 569
The consultation runs from 4 March to 17 June 2013. If you have any special requirements or require disabled access please contact Sabera Bhimani: T 020 8555 1200 x30770 E sabera.bhimani@london-fire.gov.uk
He added the brigade could make savings and continue to provide “an excellent emergency response service”. The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, the body which governs the fire
service, has made public its opposition to the station closures. The Fire Brigades Union said the cuts are “reckless” and will jeopardise public safety. The FBU has urged members of the public to
make their views known. Last week regional secretary for the FBU in London, Paul Embery, said: “The starting gun has been fired, and we want Londoners to join with us in defending their fire service.”
Fire service cutbacks
As part of the consultation process, local people are being invited to attend public meetings about the future of the fire service in Newham and Tower Hamlets and express their views about the proposed cutbacks to the fire service in London Public meeting in Newham, 7pm on Wednesday, 8 May, Newham Town Hall, East Ham, Barking Road, E6 2RP The London Fire Brigade is holding a public meeting at Newham Town Hall, Barking Road, East Ham, E6 2RP so that residents can have their say on the future of the fire and rescue service. The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), the political body which runs the London Fire Brigade, is consulting on its Draft Fifth London Safety Plan, which outlines how the Authority will deliver the capital’s fire and rescue service over the next three years. Wayne Brown, the Brigade’s Borough Commander for Newham, said: “The meetings have been arranged for local people to come along and hear about the changes being proposed to the fire service across London, as part of the Draft Fifth London Safety Plan.” Included in the plan are details of how the Authority proposes to make savings worth £28.8m, including closing 12 fire stations, removing 18 fire engines, relocating four fire engines and reducing the number of firefighter posts by 520. This would be done while maintaining existing response time targets of getting the first fire engine to an incident, on average across London, in six minutes and the second, if needed in eight minutes. These are amongst the fastest target response times of any emergency service in the country and almost twice as fast as some other brigades.
However, some boroughs will see reduced actual attendance times. After attending the meetings to learn more about the proposals, the Brigade hopes people will then take part in the consultation which is available online at www.london-fire.gov.uk/LSP5.asp The consultation ends on Monday 17 June. Public meeting in Tower Hamlets, 7pm on Tuesday 7 May, Skeel Lecture Theatre, People’s Palace Building , Queen Mary University, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS Local people are invited to attend a public meeting about the future of the fire service in Tower Hamlets at 7pm on Tuesday 7 May. The London Fire Brigade is holding a public meeting at Skeel Lecture Theatre, People’s Palace Building , Queen Mary University, Mile End Road so that residents can have their say on the future of the fire and rescue service. The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), the political body which runs the London Fire Brigade, is consulting on its Draft Fifth London Safety Plan, which outlines how the Authority will deliver the capital’s fire and rescue service over the next three years. Bruce Epsly, the Brigade’s Borough Commander for Tower Hamlets, said: “The meetings have been arranged for local people to come along and hear about the changes being proposed to the fire service across London, as part of the Draft Fifth London Safety Plan.”
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2 May 2013
News Barrister chosen in beauty contest
Thousands of people are getting hammered, says Rushanara Ali MP
Government admits they have ‘no idea’ on impact of new tax
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t has been revealed this week that a Government minister has admitted that they do not know how many affordable one-bed homes are available in Tower Hamlets for those needing to downsize as a result of the Bedroom Tax. The revelation came in response to a Parliamentary Question from Labour MP Rushanara Ali who asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he had made of the availability of affordable one-bedroom homes for single-person households to downsize into in the borough. The Government response that the ‘information is not available’ has led to criticism that ministers are making policy without a care for the consequences. It has already been revealed that 4,515 households in the borough will be affected by the Bedroom Tax. Without the homes available for them to downsize to many residents will face unavoidable cost increases as support is withdrawn.
Labour’s Spokesperson for Housing and Planning, Cllr Sirajul Islam, said: “Whilst many residents in Tower Hamlets are worrying about how they will meet the cost of the Bedroom Tax, ministers are twiddling their thumbs in ignorance at the impact their policies are having. “To say residents with spare rooms need to downsize but not bother checking whether this is even an option is a complete failure by Government and shows the chaotic way this policy has been thought up.” Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, Rushanara Ali, said: “The Minister’s answer exposes the Tory-led Government’s complete incompetence and total failure to support vulnerable families in deprived boroughs like Tower Hamlets. Thousands of families across the Borough are being hammered with the Bedroom Tax yet the Government is clueless as to how they are expected to cope and where they are expected to move to.”
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arrister Thamina Kabir, aged 28, a mother of three children has been nominated to represent Bangladesh in the world famous ‘Mrs Universe’ which is an international beauty and brain contest. She is a skilled, renowned professional. London based Thamina Kabir is a promising young solicitor. Mrs Universe Ltd has nominated Thamina Kabir not only as a beautiful lady, but also as an ideal mother, a rational social activist and a talented lawyer. Thamina has contributed to the society in working voluntarily with victims of domestic violence and abuse through her human rights forum. These are the main reasons why she was nominated. She is working tirelessly for neglected women and their own development. In March 2013, Thamina has won the ‘Maa Amar Maa’ 2013 Award in Academic Achievement category. Barrister Thamina has always been meritorious since her childhood. She stood 9th and 6th in the combined merit list respectively in S.S.C and H.S.C in 2000 and 2002. This is not all. She has been working with many charity organisations including CLASS, Children Assistance for Leukemia Patients, Save the Children and her mother, Thalassemia Aid Foundation UK. She is ac-
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Abdal Ullah: ‘shocking read’ Labour argue that Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s plan to close half of the police stations in Tower Hamlets would damage the public’s ability to report crimes and decimate local neighbourhood policing. The plans also include proposals to drastically
cut the number of officers assigned to neighbourhood policing teams from six to two. Labour’s Spokesperson for a Safer Borough, Cllr Abdal Ullah, said: “This report will be a shocking read for many residents but no matter what it says we know that as a community we are standing up to violent crime. “The report makes clear that poverty as the factor most closely associated with violent crime, yet in one of the country’s most deprived boroughs Boris Johnson still wants to close half of the police stations. We will continue to oppose these cuts and urge the Mayor of London to think again.”
‘I’ll close Guantanamo’
US President Barack Obama has pledged a new push to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, amid a growing prisoner hunger strike there. At the White House, Mr Obama said the detention centre was “contrary to who we are” and harmful to US interests.
Bone found at ‘killer’s’ home
Bone fragments from a child and blood matching missing five-year-old April Jones were found in the home of a man accused of murdering her in a sexually motivated attack, a jury has heard. April went missing near her home in Machynlleth, Powys, in October 2012.
Woman guilty of killing five
Thamina Kabir, the first ever Bangladeshi contestant for Miss Universe tively writing a book related to Women’s better life and development of thought. She has expressed the view of contributing to the society and the community by her legal work. The final contest will take place in Aruba, Caribbean Island in August 2013. If she can participate successfully in all the stages of the competition with other contestants
from all over the world, we are very hopeful that Thamina will bring the glory of winning the title to our country Bangladesh. No single mother of Bangladeshi origin has previously had this rare privilege to participate in such an international beauty contest. Friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances of Thamina are very delighted with her success and are excited.
Tower Hamlets ‘fifth least peaceful’ Islamic Bank ‘improving’ igures out yesterday showing Tower Hamlets as the fifth least peaceful local authority in the country have been seized on by Labour councillors as further evidence against Boris Johnson’s plan to halve the number of police stations in the borough. The UK Peace Index which was released by the Institute for Economics and Peace found that over the last decade the borough had an average homicide rate whichwas almost two-and-a half times the national average. The study also found that violent crime and public disorder was more than double the national average in Tower Hamlets.
This Week
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he Islamic Bank of Britain has been improving its performance in what is a tough market for all financial institutions. The Sharia-compliant bank reported that it had witnessed a significant increase in demand for its products. Khalifa Jassim Al Kuwari, chairman of IBB said: “Over the past year, we have built on the foundations established last year. The board, together with the executive management team and staff, continue to work towards our objectives of delivering high quality products and services to our customers and returns to our shareholders.”
Commenting on the annual results, Sultan Choudhury, managing director of IBB added: “IBB delivered a strong performance during 2012 and witnessed unprecedented demand for its products and services. This is testimony to the appeal the Bank has amongst consumers in the UK and GCC region. With competitive products and customer-focused service IBB has reaffirmed its position as the pioneer of Sharia compliant retail banking in the UK. “These achievements could not have been made without the continued support of the Bank’s majority shareholder, Qatar International Islamic Bank.”
A woman has been found guilty of murdering five members of a neighbouring family, including three children, by starting a fire. Lee-Anna Shiers, 20, her nephew Bailey, four, niece Skye, two, partner Liam Timbrell, 23, and son Charlie, 15 months, died in Prestatyn. Melanie Smith, 43, was accused at Mold Crown Court of setting the fire last October in a row over a pushchair left in a shared hallway.
Six plead guilty to EDL plot
Six men from the West Midlands have pleaded guilty to planning to bomb an English Defence League rally. Omar Mohammed Khan, Mohammed Hasseen, Anzal Hussain, Mohammed Saud, Zohaib Ahmed and Jewel Uddin admitted preparing an act of terrorism. All six will be sentenced on 6 June.
Lloyds reports £2bn profit
Lloyds Banking Group has reported a big rise in profits for the first three months of the year. The bank, which is 39% taxpayer-owned, reported a pretax profit of £2.04bn in the first quarter, up from £280m for the same period last year.
Livingstone defends remarks Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone has defended comments he made over the Boston Marathon bombings. He told the Iranian satellite channel Press TV that “squalid intervention” by Western governments fuelled anger such as that seen in the recent attack.
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Dhaka factory collapse Muslim Aid involved in rescue effort
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uslim Aid was one of the first overseas aid agencies to provide support to the rescue effort in the aftermath of the Dhaka factory collapse which claimed hundreds of lives and injured countless others; some victims may never be found in all the rubble and debris. The UK-based international aid organisation has longstanding connections with Bangladesh and was on the scene before most other agencies. The collapse of the eightstorey building in Bangladesh on 24th April 2013 has resulted in tragic and severe destruction, killing at least 379 people with over a thousand seriously injured and thousands still trapped and unaccounted for. The death toll is expected to rise as the rescue operation continues. A spokesperson for Muslim Aid said: “We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones in this terrible way. Muslim Aid has been supporting the rescue team in their mission and will continue to do so as long as the need remains. We extend our gratitude to the hundreds of volunteers who are working round the clock to provide support to the rescue mission.” Based on the requirements of the rescue work conducted by different agencies in cooperation with the local people, Muslim Aid has provided emergency items including first aid kit, torch lights, bottles of drinking water, food items for the rescue workers and hygiene kits to prevent contamination. The effects of this disaster are extremely far-reaching as a large number of those who lost their lives or are seriously injured were the only source of income for their families. Muslim Aid said it is assessing the need for long term interventions such as livelihood and other income generation support programmes.
Speaking up in defence of Bangladeshi garment workers The horror that visited thousands of garment workers in a Dhaka factory last week was one of a long line of industrial accidents – albeit the worst. Working conditions have been notoriously bad for several decades but little or nothing has been done about it. But now more people are speaking out Mango to sign the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement to prevent the future deaths of garment workers. It is such a simple action which would save so many lives. These disasters must not be allowed to continue. Thank you.
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Amirul Haque Amin, President National Garment Workers Federation, Bangladesh ver 300 people have been killed in the collapse of a building in Bangladesh which housed garment factories making clothes for Primark, Matalan, Mango and other major brands. Over a thousand more have been injured in one of the worst industrial disasters of recent times. Primark, Matalan and Mango make huge profits off the backs of workers in factories like these. Now they must take responsibility for their actions by ensuring justice for the workers and taking action to ensure this never happens again. For the families who have lost relatives and the workers injured in this disaster, nothing can undo what they have lost. But as they face the terrible consequences of this tragedy it is vital that they are paid full compensation from these companies, including their lost earnings. Our trade union, the National Garment Workers’ Federation, has fought for many years for workers in the garment industry to be able to work safely. The hundreds of deaths from such horrific accidents are heart breaking. This negligence must stop. The deaths of these workers could have been avoided if these companies took workers’ protection seriously Please take action now and call on Primark, Matalan and
‘The Savar tragedy is a reminder of the hidden cost of cheap clothes’
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Rushanara Ali, Member of Parliament for Bethnal Green and Bow ushanara Ali MP, Shadow Minister for International Development, today called on companies such as Primark to take urgent action to address workers’ conditions and take responsibility for safety standards following the collapse of an eight storey building on the outskirts of Dakha, Bangladesh, in which over 200 hundred garment workers employed in factories that supplied high street shops to the West have been killed. In Rushanara’s capacity as Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh, she met with the Bangladesh Foreign Minister on her visit to the UK and raised the pressing concerns of workers’ conditions in the garment factories of Bangladesh, as well as about the wider issues around unrest following the War Crimes Tribunal rulings. Rushanara said: “I would like to offer my deepest con-
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Dhaka factory collapse Sadly this is a distant dream for hundreds of millions of people, especially in the developing world, and the creation of decent work has remained low profile in donor funded work, including in the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID). I believe it is essential that the UK Government take the lead in advocating for the change needed to protect the lives of workers around the world and that DfID must start taking decent labour standards seriously. Decent work and labour standards will be central to development policy under a Labour Government. That is why I have asked the TUC to undertake a substantive piece of work, bringing together representatives from the trade movement union and the private sector, to identify key challenges businesses operating in the in the developing world and to examine how the UK government can improve what it is doing to support the creation of decent jobs by the private sector in the developing world. I have written an article for the blog site Shifting Grounds which will be posted tomorrow morning outlining the importance of this agenda and how we are we are approaching the issue. I have attached a copy of the article for your advance information, and I hope that we can continue to engage on important aspects of UK international development policy. My thoughts are with your community at this time of terrible tragedy. Yours Sincerely, Ivan.
O dolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in this tragic incident. The collapse of the eight storey building raises serious concerns about the hazardous conditions and poor safety standards in garment factories in countries such as Bangladesh. “Western companies operating in developing countries have the responsibility to work with governments to improve working conditions and prevent further deadly accidents. “There is an important role for the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and similar domestic organisations to campaign for basic human rights and working conditions to be maintained in garments and other factories. I have previously called on the UK Government to provide international development assistance to support such organisations who have been working to help protect workers and to ensure that people can go to work and expect to leave in safety without their lives being at risk. It is crucial that we support organisations that campaign to ensure decent labour conditions and labour rights and challenge companies to do the right things to protect the lives of workers.” Rushanara also urged the UK Government to work with the Bangladeshi Government to address this pressing issue. She added: “It is crucial that the UK Government works with the Government of Bangladesh to improve labour standards in the garment industry in Bangladesh. “Of the 23 countries that provide the ILO with development assistance, the UK only ranks 22nd. I urge the Department for International Development to reconsider renewing funding to the ILO so that they can help improve conditions and labour rights in Bangladesh as well as other developing countries.”
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Ivan Lewis, Member of Parliament for Bury South ear Friends… Over the weekend we saw the true scale of the horrible tragedy that occurred at the Dhaka factory collapse begin to emerge. This for me underlines why we need decent labour standards and to ensure that a decent job is available for every person no matter where they live.
‘Please take action now and call on Primark, Matalan and Mango to sign the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement’
Gareth Price-Jones, Oxfam country director in Bangladesh xfam’s reaction to the Savar building collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has been typically strong. The international charity organisation has been at the forefront of campaigning against poverty worldwide and has many initiative in Bangladesh. Oxfam country director in Bangladesh, Gareth Price-Jones said: “The Savar tragedy is a reminder of the hidden cost of cheap clothes. Controversy surrounding the garment industry is well-documented and in Bangladesh there have been some improvements in recent years. In 2010, the government raised the monthly minimum wage from 1662 takas (around £15) to 3000 takas (about £25). Yet there is no doubt that this remains a dangerous, low paid and exploitative sector. “While demands continue for the minimum wage to be increased to 5000 takas a month (around £41), many subcontractors already pay significantly less than the current minimum. Enforcement is painfully lax. Hundreds of thousands of people have few other options than to leave the countryside in search of jobs in factories and workshops in Bangladesh’s heaving cities. It is people like these who are paying the price for the cheap clothes that now fill so many high street shops across the world. “They pay this price by risking their lives working in unsafe buildings, for long hours, often in terrible conditions, for terrible wages. An estimated 35,000 people move to Bangladesh’s crowded cities every week. A combination of poverty, greed, corruption and political interest leaves them incredibly vulnerable. This need not be the case. “When it comes to the garment industry, as consumers we are involved and with involvement comes responsibility. We can make choices that will make a difference. So too can retailers. The easiest thing is to choose not to see the story behind the brands, but we can also choose to buy clothes that are the products of transparent and non-abusive supply chains. Retailers can choose to do the same, and can hold their suppliers to account – not least by ensuring they respect standard safety measures that protect their workers lives. “Here, though, the problem is much wider than the garment industry. Construction of high rise buildings is everywhere here in Dhaka, but even the Prime Minister accepts that 90 per cent are not built to local standards, let alone international building standards that would be expected in an earthquake-prone country like Bangladesh. Oxfam is working to reduce the risk of disasters like Savar by working with architects and municipal authorities to improve building standards, and by working with communities to prepare themselves for disasters. With a major earthquake overdue, we are concerned that this terrible tragedy will be repeated on a far greater scale.”
Mayor calls for action
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ower Hamlets, in east London, was for many decades the heart of Britain’s clothes manufacturing industry. But local “sweatshops” lost out to overseas cheap labour – including, ironically, Bangladesh. Now, with the terrible disaster of the Dhaka factory collapse which has killed so many hundreds and maimed even more, the imperative to make ever greater profits at any cost is being questioned. Lutfur Rahman, the Bangladeshi Mayor of Tower Hamlets, has urged urgent action to protect garment workers in Bangladesh. Mayor Rahman issued a statement on the Bangladesh factory collapse tragedy. He said: “My thoughts, prayers and deep condolences are with the victims and their families who were killed or injured by the collapse of the garment factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh. “This tragic incident once again highlighted the serious concerns about the conditions and poor safety standards that many garment factories operate in Bangladesh. “Over 300 garment workers have been killed with hundreds more injured or missing. The figures are likely to rise as the full scale of the tragedy unfolds. This is a human tragedy that was entirely avoidable. “Multi-national firms operating in countries like Bangladesh, have a corporate social and moral responsibility, to ensure that they work with factory owners and the authorities to improve working conditions and prevent further tragedies. “I call on the authorities in Bangladesh to work more closely with workers, trade unions, factory owners and multi-nationals operating in Bangladesh, to do everything possible to improve safety standards and protect the safety of factory workers in the country. “I also urge the authorities in Bangladesh to investigate the circumstances surrounding this tragedy; find ways to compensate the victims and their families; and ensure that those found responsible for any negligent for these deaths, face full force of the law.”