The collapse of a nine-storey building in which 18 people are so far confirmed dead and hundreds are still trapped under tons of rubble is a tragedy that should never happened, according to the Global Union Federation representing workers in the sector.
According to reports, the building collapsed without warning in the early hours of Monday morning. The collapse may have been triggered by a boiler explosion.
The disaster happened near the industrial town of Savar, a centre of the knitwear industry located near the capital Dhaka.
It is believed that up to 500 people, most of whom were on the sixth floor, may have been working late to complete a big order for export to the US or Europe.

Local reports say that the factory, which was constructed three years ago, was built on marshland and without planning permission. The structure was first constructed for a four-storey building, and five floors were subsequently added.
Neil Kearney, General Secretary of the Brussels-based International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation, says the tragedy is a combination of a desperate race for competitive advantage in a liberalised trade environment and the inaction of the public authorities in ensuring safe working conditions.

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