A Vision of Hell

Now that fire has been introduced into the equation, and heat and misery, death and pain and suffering as well, the verisimilitude is complete: the site of the former eight-story building called Rana Plaza was hell on Earth. Desperate cries for help and rescue from the collapsed building, the overwhelming odour of decay and death, the stifling heat and humidity, none of it persuaded rescuers that their mission was hopeless; it all spurred them on to greater effort.

And day by day they rescued the injured and the traumatized, finding groups of ten, twenty, even 40 people anxiously and painfully awaiting rescue, fearing all the while that the rubble that surrounded them would cause yet another collapse, for some were on the fourth floor of the building. Incredibly, the garment factories that existed within the complex employed altogether over three thousand workers. It has been estimated that 2,200 people have been extracted from that living hell. Close to 400 died.

Reuters/Andrew Bira

"They are alive, they are trapped, but most of them are safe. We need to cut through debris and walls to bring them out", explained fire service inspector Shafiqui Islam of those who survived. Searching through the building, he offered water and juice packs through holes in the structure to those desperately awaiting rescue. Many so badly injured and weak there were only hours lingering for them to be rescued alive, and not eventually dug out, lifeless.

It was feared, and with good reason, that if rescue could not be effected within short order the survivors, even those not injured, would be at risk of death as a result of daytime temperatures up to 35C during the day. As rescuers crawled through the rubble, hearing the desperate cries of those trapped within, the thousands of anxious people gathered outside the building shouted and rallied and desperately awaited news of relatives. And then a rescuer's drill sent a spark causing a fire.

The firemen had another emergency mission before them, to put out the fire. And it was done in twenty minutes' time.  Those gathered outside were joined by thousands of workers from hundreds of other textile factories across the industrial zone that Savar is, marching to protest poor safety standards in their country. The protests were largely peaceful, though vociferous, but some protesters smashed dozens of cars in the fury of their anguish and anger.

Police had explained that cracks in the building had caused them to order an evacuation on Tuesday, a safety order obeyed by the bank located in the building, but ignored by the factory owners who insisted their workers come in as usual and continue to operate as though nothing was amiss and nothing threatened their safety. And the factories were operating as usual when the building suddenly collapsed the following day.

Suddenly, local officials discovered that numerous construction violations had occurred. The building owner had been given permission to build a five-story building. He had taken it upon himself to illegally add another three stories. Corruption reigns supreme. And the hand over of bribes to corrupt officials works wonders, imperilling the lives of the wretched poor and disentitled.

Police and the government's Capital Development Authority filed negligence charges against the owner, and he is now in custody, as are some of the factory owners. Mr. Rana, the owner of the eponymous building is identified as a local leader of the ruling Awami League's youth front; political connections can never hurt any cause.

Low wages, and non-existent labour standards all help to make Bangladesh a powerhouse magnet for western and internationally global brands of wearing apparel. Bargain basement prices, bargain basement assurances for safety and security for vulnerable workers, too poor and dependent on dreadful working conditions to provide food for their families.