Deadly Blaze B/W
26 images Created 29 Feb 2020
In Bangladesh, fires are a constant threat and often end tragically for those affected. Crying family members in front of burning factory buildings, anxiously waiting to know more about the fate of their loved ones, has become a common sight. Urban slums going up in flames are news seen far too often. Tens of thousands of people fall victim to these fires every year, losing their homes, all their belongings, and all too often their lives, their parents, their children, and their siblings.
The number of fire incidents in Bangladesh has tripled over the past two decades. The main reasons include rapid and unplanned urbanization, population density and unsafe house construction, and the increasing use of technology without the necessary knowledge of its usage. Beyond that, for decades fires have been the number one cause of loss of life in the country’s factories. In 2020, the country recorded 383 industrial fires out of which 273 occurred in garment factories. The regular outbreaks of factory fires reveal the often-inadequate fire safety measures and poor working conditions for workers. They also shed light on the lack of monitoring and law enforcement by responsible authorities.
Those who suffer most are the factory workers and their families. In the rarest of cases, they have a choice or an alternative to secure their livelihoods. Besides performing hard work in an environment that involves great risk, their low income oftentimes does not allow them to live in safe homes either. It is the sad truth that economically disadvantaged people face countless risks every day, and little support in guarding their lives. And far too often, their lives, their hopes, and their dreams dissolve into ashes.
The number of fire incidents in Bangladesh has tripled over the past two decades. The main reasons include rapid and unplanned urbanization, population density and unsafe house construction, and the increasing use of technology without the necessary knowledge of its usage. Beyond that, for decades fires have been the number one cause of loss of life in the country’s factories. In 2020, the country recorded 383 industrial fires out of which 273 occurred in garment factories. The regular outbreaks of factory fires reveal the often-inadequate fire safety measures and poor working conditions for workers. They also shed light on the lack of monitoring and law enforcement by responsible authorities.
Those who suffer most are the factory workers and their families. In the rarest of cases, they have a choice or an alternative to secure their livelihoods. Besides performing hard work in an environment that involves great risk, their low income oftentimes does not allow them to live in safe homes either. It is the sad truth that economically disadvantaged people face countless risks every day, and little support in guarding their lives. And far too often, their lives, their hopes, and their dreams dissolve into ashes.
