The devastating fire at a garment factory killed over 50 workers and 150 others were badly burnt in the inferno that engulfed the four-storey factory building in Chittagong on February 23. A six-storey building housing a number of factories collapsed in the city's Tejgoan industrial area on February 25, just a day after the fatal fire incident of Chittagong, leaving 21 people killed and over 100 others injured, many of whom are likely to be crippled for life.

Fire at garment factories or collapse of factory building with tragic death of helpless workers is nothing new in the country. The first incident of fire in a garment factory occurred on December 27, 1990 in the city's Mirpur area that left at least 32 workers dead and more than a hundred injured. Over 450 garment workers, mostly women and children, have died in some 25 fire-related incidents in garment factories since 1990. In fact, the people of this country have witnessed a devastating and increasing number of man-made disasters in the garment factories over the last decade and a half.

The country's garment industry which is still reeling from one crisis to another in the quota-free regime is likely to face another serious threat following the recent accidents. The leading global buyers of Bangladeshi garments expressed their deep concern about factory compliance after the Savar tragedy and categorically said that Bangladesh would face problems in exporting garments if such type of incident happens again. The recent two accidents are sure to bring to the fore again the issue of factory compliance and would strengthen the hands of those who desire Bangladesh's garment sector to comply with international standards including safety of workers. Such a development is full of the worst economic implications for the country as this sector has a pivotal role in the economy, employing a record number of people and earning the highest amount of foreign currency.

Unnatural deaths have become a part of life in Bangladesh. If there are no accidents of fire or collapse of factory buildings, then there will be launch disasters or fatal road accidents. Two major launch disasters occurred in a single week in May 2005, killing over 300 people. We can blame nature's fury for the victims of the natural disasters, but whom should we blame for the victims of the man-made disasters? We should bring into cognizance the fact that the repeated tragedies in garment factories, roads, and rivers are not the consequence of mere accidents. The owners of the garment factories, launches, and buses should be made to realize that such type of killing is tantamount to murder.

A good number of garment factories have experienced fatal accidents varying from incidents of fire to collapse of buildings in the last few years. Apart from the recent fire incident in Chittagong, another major fire incident in a garment factory at Narshingdi burnt alive 53 workers and injured more than 100 others in December 2000. A devastating fire at a garment factory in Siddhirganj killed 22 workers and 50 others were injured in January 2005. The nine-storied building that collapsed like a house of cards at Savar not long ago, killing at least 100 hundred workers, was the worst industrial catastrophe in the country's history. But ironically the safety of the garment workers is not high on the agenda either of the two garment associations or the government, let alone the factory owners.

Most of the garment factories lack emergency exits with collapsible gates kept under lock and key, making it impossible to flee from danger. The helpless garment workers have little option other than falling victims to the inferno or remain trapped among the debris. The tremendous increase in the number of deaths of the garment workers in recent days is no doubt the consequence of colossal indifference of those who exercise power without the semblance of responsibility.

The concern of the owners of the garment factories is confined only to counting profit while the government's is for earning foreign currency. But nobody cares much for the poor workers -- the most important component for running the industry. They are being treated as slaves virtually without any human rights. The global buyers might be more sensitive to the safety and welfare of the garment workers in Bangladesh, but their pressure has not been enough to improve factory conditions to a desirable level.

The parliament on February 26 passed the Building Construction (Amendment) Bill 2006 providing new rules for construction of buildings. Any violation of the new rules is punishable by maximum seven years in prison and fine of not less than Tk 50,000. But this is not enough for providing security to the garment workers. The government should enact proper laws stipulating safety and security of the garment workers and severely punishing the owners failing to provide adequate security measures in their factories.

ANM Nurul Haque is a banker.