More RMG workers sick

About 300 ready-made garment workers of a Savar garment factory fell ill after drinking from its water supply system on Sunday, a day after they had fallen sick after eating in the same factory.

Savar Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 30 June 2013, 02:15 AM
Updated : 30 June 2013, 02:53 AM

This comes immediately after the United States suspended GSP facility for Bangladesh on grounds of poor industrial safety standards and working conditions.

Industrial Police-1 Ashulia zone Deputy Assistant Director Abdus Sattar told media it was the water at the factory of the ‘The Rose Dress Limited’s’ that had made the workers sick. “The management closed down the factory for the day.”

Earlier almost 150 workers fell ill after consuming food in that factory on Friday night. That forced the management to shut down the factory on Saturday.

Workers came to work on Sunday morning, Sattar told bdnews24.com. “They suddenly fell sick and started vomiting and collapsing around 10:00am.”
“They were taken to several hospitals and clinics immediately. Some were sent to Enam Medical College.”
Savar Women and Child Healthcare Centre spokesperson Harun Ar Rashid said they had admitted about 200 workers.
Meanwhile authorities of Enam Medical College said they had 80 of them.

The factory’s Administrative Officer Abdul Hannan told bdnews24.com they had two buildings inside their compound. “Workers of both buildings are sick though they have separate water tanks ,motors and lines.”

“It seems very mysterious,” he said.

Probe Committee

A three-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the incident, Thana Health and Family Planning Official Dr Mosharraf Hossain said.

The complex’s Medical Officer Dr Rownak Jahan Urmi will be leading the team. Others on it are Assistant Health Inspector Dr Selina Nasrin and Health Assistant Mohammad Osman.

The committee has been asked to file report within seven days.

Meanwhile, sample of the unit’s supply water was taken for tests, the official said.