Bangladesh Makes EU Plea Over Factory Collapse

Bangladesh has urged the EU not to take tough measures against its economically crucial textile industry after the collapse of a factory which killed 550 people.

Bodies were still being pulled from the rubble of the clothing plant on Saturday as tearful families stood waiting for news of victims.

The EU, which gives preferential access to Bangladeshi clothing, had threatened punitive measures to press Dhaka to improve worker safety standards after the collapse of the illegally-built factory on April 24.

The disaster, thought to have been triggered when the building's electricity generators were started up during a blackout, put the spotlight on Western retailers who use Bangladesh as a source of cheap goods.

A security guard sits in front of missing persons posters in a hospital

Four million people work in the country's textile industry - making it the second largest clothing exporter after China. Some earn as little as $38 (£24) a month.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has blamed the factory owners for the disaster, saying they ignored warnings about cracks in the walls of the building.

Duty-free access offered by Western countries and low wages have helped turn Bangladesh's garment exports into a $19bn-a-year (£12.2bn) industry with 60% of clothes going to Europe.

Mahbub Ahmed, top civil servant in Bangladesh's Commerce Ministry, said: "If the EU or any other buyers impose any harsh trade conditions on Bangladesh it will hurt the country's economy ... millions of workers will lose their jobs."

He added the government had not received any formal notification of punitive action from the EU.

Authorities have arrested nine people in connection with the building collapse, including an engineer who had raised safety concerns about the eight-storey complex the day before the disaster.

Mr Hasina told a news conference on Friday: "The Industrial Police had asked the owners of the factories to suspend operations after cracks were noticed in the building.

"But they decided to operate their factories. After a power blackout when they started their generators the building caved in."

The owners of the factories have not commented publicly on the accusation that they were to blame. Four factory owners have been arrested, as has the owner of the building.

The collapse was the third deadly incident in six months that raised questions about worker safety and labour conditions in Bangladesh.

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