The Ministry of Labour and Employment has formed a seven-member investigation committee to probe the fire at Shah Alam Chemical Warehouse and a nearby garment factory in Rupnagar, Mirpur.
The committee, headed by Joint Secretary Laskar Tajul Islam, has been tasked with submitting its report within seven working days. The ministry has also announced financial assistance for the victims’ families.
According to a press release issued by the ministry on Wednesday, each family of the deceased workers will receive financial aid of Tk200,000 from the Bangladesh Workers Welfare Foundation, while injured workers will be given Tk50,000 each for medical treatment.
The investigation committee has been tasked with identifying the cause of the fire, determining responsibility, assessing the extent of damages, and making recommendations accordingly.
It will also prepare a list of the deceased and injured, review any negligence in inspection processes, assess the risk level of the factory, and propose preventive measures.
On Tuesday, around 11:30am, a fire broke out at Shah Alam Chemical Warehouse in Rupnagar’s Shiarbari area and quickly spread to an adjacent garment factory.
So far, 16 bodies have been recovered.
