Mirpur fire exposes “Culture of Impunity” in industrial safety, say labour rights activists
Business Report :
The devastating fire in Dhaka’s Mirpur area, which claimed at least 16 lives earlier this week, has once again laid bare the grim reality of Bangladesh’s industrial sector where workers continue to die and accountability remains elusive,according to a senior official from the Bangladesh institute of labour studies (BILS).
At a press conference held on Thursday at the National Press Club, labour rights organisations demanded justice for the victims and urgent reforms to ensure workplace safety across all industries.
The event was organised by the Sramik Nirapatta Forum (SNF) and attended by representatives from ActionAid Bangladesh, Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), Karmojibi Nari, and the Safety and Rights Society (SRS).
“The recurring tragedies from Tongi and Chattogram to Narayanganj and now Mirpur reflect a deep-rooted culture of impunity that allows safety negligence to go unpunished,” said Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, Executive Director of BILS and Head of the Labour Reform Commission 2024, who moderated the discussion.
He criticised the authorities for their repeated failure to ensure accountability after such disasters. “After every accident, we see the same pattern: a probe committee is formed, reports are never made public, and no one takes responsibility,” he said.
Delivering the keynote address, Sekendar Ali Mina, Acting Member Secretary of SNF and Executive Director of SRS, called for comprehensive legal and institutional reforms to prevent future workplace tragedies.
Speakers including Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh; Abdul Kader Hawlader, Joint Coordinator of SKOP; Naimul Ahsan Jewel, Joint Coordinator of G-SKOP; Kutubuddin Ahmed, President of IndustriALL Bangladesh Council; Sunjida Sultana, Additional Executive Director of Karmojibi Nari; Advocate AKM Nasim, Country Program Director of Solidarity Center Bangladesh and member of the Labour Reform Commission; and safety specialist Engineer Abul Bashar Mia also addressed the event.
“The government must act decisively. Workers’ lives cannot be treated as expendable,” said Farah Kabir, calling for a unified national strategy to protect industrial workers.
As grieving families wait for justice, labour leaders warned that without accountability and reform, such tragedies will continue to haunt the nation’s industrial landscape.