The Facts
On Tues., firefighters brought under control a huge fire that broke out on Sat. at the BM Inland Container Depot in Bangladesh, claiming at least 43 lives. Though it could take days to fully douse it, there's no risk of additional explosions.
The blaze caused multiple explosions when it broke out at Sitakunda, around 40km from the port city of Chittagong. Officials report that so far roughly 200 people have been injured by the fire, some of them in critical condition.
The Spin
Narrative A
Bangladesh routinely suffers from industrial disasters, including factories catching fire. The nation must develop a credible and accountable structure of health and safety regulation and take responsibility for the tragedies that have already occurred.
Narrative B
Bangladesh is already attempting to claim its own space and establish effective safety monitoring for the industrial workplace. But pressures such as growing competition from low-cost foreign markets, and global brands pushing prices down, mean punitive measures aren't being taken against non-compliant, financially struggling factories. Fast-fashion culture is making safe working environments unviable.
