Deaths in Stampede
None held despite workers' demand
No case was filed and none was arrested till last evening in connection with the death of two garment workers in a stampede at Eurotex Ltd, a factory, in the city's Chankharpool on Saturday noon.
The two were killed and at least 65 others were injured, mostly women, while rushing down the pitch-black and narrow staircase of the garment factory fearing a fire.
The deceased are Jasmin Akhter, 20 and Taslima Akhter, 18.
Nine of the injured are under treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) now. Others were released in two days till yesterday.
Talking to The Daily Star some injured workers said they went out of the factory when smoke started billowing in Saturday's incident but they were called in again. But as the amount of smoke increased the workers made fresh attempt to go out but the authorities closed the doors and cut off the power line. It spread more panic among the trapped workers.
After the deaths, co-workers brought out a protest procession taking the bodies, demanded trial for the killing and ransacked the factory.
The factory remained closed yesterday. An official said the factory will open today and then the authorities will make detailed announcement about compensation to the victims.
A worker of the factory said the owners refrained the workers from filing any case for Saturday's incident assuring that they will give compensation as per rule to the families of the deceased and provide expense for treatment to the injured workers. They also pledged to give leave for the period an injured worker fail to join the duty with full payment. This pacified the agitated workers.
He said the workers want trial of those responsible for the Saturday's incident. He alleged that the owners and police in collaboration foiled their demand.
The owners gave Tk 25,000 to families of each of the deceased workers and bore the expenses of medicines for the injured.
Chawkbazar Police Station OC Mohammad Ali told The Daily Star all parties--garments workers, owners and BGMEA--reached a compromise and accordingly none filed a case.
Asked why even an unnatural death (UD) case or general diary (GD) was not lodged for the incident, he said if anybody come to police to file a case police will record it.
The bodies were handed over to their relatives without performing any autopsy, said sources.
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