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The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) today called for urgent action after a fire in a Bangladesh garment factory claimed the lives of at least 25 workers and left more than 100 injured.
The blaze occurred on Tuesday at That's It Sports Wear Ltd, part of the Hameem Group, one of the biggest garment exporters in the country.
Several European and US retailers source from the factory, including ETI member company Gap Inc., which has sent a team to assist on site and stated that its immediate priority is for the workers and their families to receive the medical and emergency assistance they need.
Said ETI Director Peter McAllister: "The most pressing need is to ensure that the families of the dead and injured are swiftly and properly compensated, and that provision is made for the families of those who died to receive ongoing support. We will closely monitor the situation on the ground and support efforts to make this happen."
News of the tragedy came amid fresh reports of violent unrest over chronically low wages. Workers demanding the implementation of a new minimum wage clashed with police at an industrial zone in southeastern Bangladesh on Sunday, leaving three people dead and at least 50 hurt.
Said McAllister: "These tragedies are a damning indictment of the state of workers' conditions in the industry."
"With each new incident it becomes clearer that the garment industry in Bangladesh is in a crisis, and that the endemic and widespread violations of workers' rights in the sector are simply unsustainable.
"It's abundantly clear that auditing alone is simply not going to provide the protection that workers need. Companies sourcing from Bangladesh must lead by example and ensure that they are trading in a way that supports a living wage and decent terms and conditions for workers."
Many ETI members have recently been engaging with trade unions and the industry to look at how health and safety standards could be raised across the industry. Some are working with suppliers on pilot projects to raise wages, with plans for further roll-out.
"But retailers cannot do this on their own", said McAllister. "To raise standards across the board will require the Bangladeshi garment industry and the Government to take a much stronger lead in enforcing the rule of law across the industry.
"It's clear that to date our best collective efforts are simply not good enough. We must all do much more to help raise standards, encourage freedom of association and press for the application of the rule of law if we are to have any hope of preventing further disasters and building a future where everyone earns a decent wage and is treated with respect."
Around 20 million people in Bangladesh depend on the garment sector for their livelihood.