Over 100 workers fall sick at Bangladesh garment factory, rights group raises safety concerns

Paris, June 19 (IANS) A leading international human rights organisation strongly condemned the incident in which more than one hundred workers reportedly fell ill after consuming water supplied by a garment factory in Bangladesh’s Gazipur district, warning that such an incident reflects serious failures in workplace health and safety measures.

The remarks came after over 100 workers at the Dressman Limited garment factory in the Chandra area of Kaliakoir upazila in Gazipur fell ill on Thursday after drinking water supplied at the factory. The affected workers were rushed to Kaliakoir Upazila Health Complex and other nearby hospitals and clinics for treatment.

According to factory workers, the employees fell ill shortly after consuming water supplied by the factory, experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, weakness, and breathing difficulties. As the number of affected workers steadily rose, panic spread across the workplace, Bangladeshi leading daily Dhaka Tribune reported.

Expressing grave concern over the incident, Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) said that ensuring a safe working environment and access to clean drinking water is a constitutional, legal, and moral obligation of both the government and employers.

“The incident in which more than one hundred workers fell ill at Dressman Limited in Gazipur is deeply alarming and tragic. If contaminated water supplied by the factory is found to be the cause of this mass illness, it would constitute not merely negligence but a serious violation of the workers’ rights to life, health, and human dignity. Providing safe and clean drinking water in the workplace is a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility of every employer. Any negligence that endangers workers’ lives and health is wholly unacceptable,” said Shahanur Islam, Founder President of JMBF.

The JMBF called on the government of Bangladesh to establish an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation committee to determine the actual cause of the incident without delay. The human rights organisation also demanded prompt, impartial, and exemplary legal action against any individual or institution found responsible for negligence or criminal liability.

It further urged the authorities to strengthen the monitoring and enforcement of occupational health and safety standards, including access to safe drinking water, across all industrial establishments in Bangladesh in accordance with international labor standards.

–IANS

scor/rs