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How many more lives?

5 March 2006, 18:00 PM
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
By Rayan Zafar, California, USA
5 March 2006, 18:00 PM
. PHOTO: AFP
We have seen over the years catastrophe after catastrophe inflicting heavy losses on human lives either due to faulty construction or non-compliance with required building codes. I don't know how many more lives it would take to strike our hearts to bring the culprits to justice? Isn't it already enough? Or is this only because the people, who have died, were mostly poor and were not powerful enough to move and shake the conscience of our corrupt politicians? Or are the culprits responsible for these catastrophes part of our so-called elite class who enjoy a degree of indemnity due to their money and political affiliation? Perhaps all these are true and also true is the fate of justice that has been thrown into gutters every time such an incident happened. But I want to question one thing, is this a sign of a healthy society? Probably not. Why it is so lopsided and favours the powerful and disregard the powerless so much? The recent incidents of garment factory-fire in Chittagong and collapse of "Phoenix" building in Dhaka are nothing but continuing saga of blood and sweat of our working class. But this is not a saga that we can feel proud of (as a nation), rather we should be ashamed of it.
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I listened to the remarks of the works minister about the bill under consideration to tighten the loopholes to catch the violators. The problem is not with the laws or its tightening to close the loopholes. It is simply the incompetence of the ministry itself.

Why it has to wake up after a disaster?

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Rezaul Karim, On e-mail

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In a tragic fire accident at KTS garments and Textile Mills near Kalurghat over 54 garments labourers (according to official estimate) lost their lives and hundreds sustained serious injuries. Many more are missing. It is reported that the factory has practically no fire protection equipment and or other facilities. Of course, in order to keep costs down, there is probably no need for minimum safety arrangements. After all, garment factory owners are creating jobs.

The fact that workers lose their lives owing to factory owners' negligence does not matter. Are these owners brought to justice for negligent homicide? The answer is no.

Michael Smith, US