Central President (Acting) of Bangladesh Sramik Kalyan Federation Professor Harunur Rashid Khan said that although the labor law of the country prioritizes the safety of workers at work, employers are not willing to implement this law. They only know business. They are busy harvesting their own sugarcane by cheating the laborers and evading the labor laws. They are unconcerned and ignorant about the safety of the workers’ lives in the factory.
He said these words in the president’s speech at a prayer meeting organized by the Bangladesh Sramik Kalyan Federation in an auditorium of the capital this afternoon to pray for the souls of those get killed in the terrible fire at the BM Container Depot in Sitakunda. The meeting was presented by Central General Secretary of the Federation Advocate Atiqur Rahman. Central Vice President of the Federation Kabir Ahmad, Associate General Secretary Advocate Alamgir Hossain, Abdus Salam, Treasurer Azharul Islam, Office Secretary Nurul Amin etc. were also present in it.
Professor Harunur Rashid said, “The Sitakunda fire is not the first fire in Bangladesh. Before this, many laborers had to die prematurely due to fires in several factories. 41 people have already lost their lives in the Sitakunda fire. The number of casualties is increasing with time. Unfortunately, the truth is that in our country, the government or the owners end their responsibility by providing nominal help after an accident. They never think that it is their responsibility to ensure the safety of the workers who are moving this country forward. Despite the fact that accidents are a daily occurrence in this country, the government is not modernizing the fire service.
He further said that the owner of the depot has shown negligence and extreme irresponsibility since the beginning of the accident. They did not even feel the need to inform the fire service. At least nine fire fighters died while fighting the fire. They were not informed that the container at the depot contained dangerous chemicals. Owners can’t avoid the liability of that accident. Even after 16 hours, they did not inform us what kind of chemicals were in the depot. Accidents caused by chemicals are not something ordinary; they will have long-term effects.
Professor Harunur Rashid said that in such a big institution, where hundreds of employees work, the security system should have been strengthened. The media revealed that there was a serious lapse in the security of the fire system. The institution was shut down by a government agency not so long ago. But due to political considerations, it has been reopened despite serious risks. Everyone involved in this heinous act must be brought to justice.
They prayed to Allah Rabbul Alamin for a speedy recovery for the injured and for the families of the deceased as well as for the souls of those who died in the accident at the conclusion of the meeting.
