The government is going to announce national mourning over the death of over 100 workers in a fire at a garment factory at Savar’s Nishchintapur.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself will make the announcement,” Communications Minister Obaidul Quader told reporters after visiting the spot on Sunday morning.
“The Prime Minister is in touch with the latest updates. She has already expressed condolence and ordered to provide all sorts of help for the victims,” he added.
A special aide to the Prime Minister, however, told bdnews24.com that the Cabinet will take the decision over the announcement.
“Monday’s Cabinet meeting will take the decision on the announcement of the National Mourning Day for the casualties at the Savar garment factory fire,” Mahbubul Haque Shakil said.
“The Prime Minister also ordered relevant people to provide financial help for the families of the deceased and arrange treatment for those injured by the collapse of the girders of an under-construction flyover in Chittagong,” he added.
She was in constant touch with the Fire Service and Civil Defence chief and those assigned the job to rescue overnight, he added.
Firemen doused the fire at Toba Group’s factory Tazreen Fashion after over four hours of efforts on Saturday. The fire broke out around 7:30pm.
Earlier, rescuers and police said nine workers, including seven women, died as they jumped off the nine-storey building.
But on Sunday morning, another 103 bodies were found in the factory.
Apart from Quader, Labour Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, State Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif visited the spot.
“This is very pathetic. So many dead bodies are there. It’s unspeakable,” Quader said.
Hanif said the victims’ families would get all sorts of government help.
Beside an administrative investigation, police have launched their own probe over the incident.
The district administration is providing Tk 20,000 to each of the families of the deceased for the burials.
Source: bdnews24
