FE Report

At least seven workers were killed and 15 others injured in a fire that raged through a readymade garment factory in the capital's Mohammadpur area on Saturday afternoon.

The deceased were identified as Josna, 20, daughter of Md Kawsar, hailed from Bhola District, Razia, 24, daughter of Afzal of Jhalakathi District, Kohinur, 15, daughter of Jabed Hossain of Basila in Dhaka, Nasima, 30, daughter of Azizul Haque of Bhola, Nasima, 17, daughter of Naya Mia of Borhanuddin district and an unidentified girl around 15 years' old, said hospital sources.

Meanwhile, Laizu, 16, a worker who was injured while jumping from the factory building to the ground during fire, died at home in the evening at Basila slum of Mohammadpur.

Josna died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital while five others died at Shikdar Medical College Hospital.

The fire broke out on the first floor of the two-story building of Smart Garments in Beribadh area around 2:40pm, Mahbubur Rahman, director (operations) of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters, told The Financial Express.

None from owner's side was available for comment on the fire.

A BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association) official said Smart Garments is not enlisted with the association.

Mahbubur Rahman said nine units of firefighters from different stations brought the blaze under control after fighting for over an hour around 3:50pm.

However, he could not confirm the reason of fire.

State Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Ministry, Jahangir Kabir Nanok and Inspector General of Police Hasan Mahmud Khandakar visited the spot.

Hasan Mahmud Khandakar told reporters that garment factories located in the residential area would be transferred gradually to industrial areas to avoid such incident.

Jahagir Kabir Nanok distributed Tk 20,000 to each of families of the deceased workers on behalf of Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

Earlier on November 24 last year, a major fire killed 112 people in another garment factory, Tazreen Fashions Ltd, in Ashulia on the outskirts of the capital.