British activists have staged a protest outside flagship store of high street giant Primark in London, demanding compensation for hundreds of workers killed in the collapse of a textile factory in Bangladesh.
The shoddily-constructed eight-story structure where low-cost garments were made for Western brands collapsed on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka on Wednesday, leading to the death of at least 352 people.
It emerged later that Primark, the major retail group operating stores in the UK and Ireland, occupied a floor of the building and that workers were suppliers to the brand.
Protesters gathered outside Primark’s flagship store on Oxford Street on April 27, demanding that companies involved in the incident sign the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement to end the “appallingly unsafe factory conditions” in the Asian country.
British activists were carrying placards reading “Never again,” “Love fashion, hate sweatshops” and “Primark’s shame”.
A petition has been also launched calling for the retail giant and other brands to compensate the families of workers killed or injured.
Speaking outside Primark’s store in central London, Murray Worthy, from campaign group War on Want, said, “We’re here to send a clear message to Primark that the 300 deaths in the Bangladesh building collapse were not an accident – they were entirely preventable deaths.”
Earlier this week, Bangladeshi demonstrators took to the streets of Dhaka to protest against poor working conditions and safety standards, with Western clothing retailers blamed for failing to provide basic working standards for their Asian suppliers.
Source: PressTV
