Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Md Atiqul Islam said that the perpetrators who set fire at Standard Garments, located at Konabari, Gazipur, on Thursday night, must immediately be brought to book and given exemplary punishment.

The government should ensure the safety of all the RMG factories and formulate special laws, if necessary, to stop recurring such incidents in future.
He made this remarks while he was presiding over a press briefing on the arson at the factory of Standard Group arranged by BGMEA at its complex in Dhaka.
Ex Presidents of BGMEA M Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin and Abdus Salam Morshedy, Managing Director of Standard Group Engr. Mosharraf Hussain and other office bearers of BGMEA were also present in the briefing.
Engr. Mosharraf Hussain burst into tears while he was describing the details of arson at his factory. He said: “On 28 November at 8pm, 19000 workers of the factory of the Standard Group as usual left the factory premises after completing their work hours. About 200-250 workers were only working at the washing unit after 8pm. At around 10.30pm that night about 70/80 outsider terrorists started to hit the main gate of the factory and tried to forcefully enter the factory. Therefore, 25/30 members of industrial police who were employed there to ensure the security of the factory tried to disperse the terrorists; at one stage the police used batons and fired rubber bullets. In the rubber bullets only one was injured. His injury was not very serious. However, he was rushed to Dhaka Medical by an ambulance of Standard Group. In such a situation, the factory authority decided to fully close the factory and 200/250 workers working at washing unit also left the factory. Afterwards, some people spread a rumour using the mike of a local mosque that two workers were killed in police fire and requested all to take to street with whatever they had. At one stage, some 150/200 terrorists from outside enter the factory by trucks. They within a very short period of time spread diesel and petrol at certain points of the every floor of the 10-storey main building of the Standard Group in a very planned way and set fire then so that fire quickly engulfs the every floor of the factory. Seventeen cavard vans were ready in front of the building to carry goods to Chittagong for export. All the cavard vans were burnt to ashes by the fire. With the request of the factory owners and BGMEA, vehicles of Fire Service and police started to rush to the spot but after reaching the Konabari main road they could not proceed further as they were barred to go by putting barricades on road. Vehicles of Fire Service could reach the factory with the help of RAB and police at around 1.30am; but by that time the factory totally set ablaze. The fire service personnel after a hectic effort of 8/9 hours could bring the fire under control.”
Standard Group is the one of the best complaint garment factories of the country. Till the start of its journey the factory never remain the salaries of its workers arrears. It has been exporting apparel following the rules and regulations of the government, and satisfying the world famous buyers. The factory has been contributing a lot to national and international economy by exporting apparel worth US$ 300 million every year. The group created employments for several thousand people.
Engr. Mosharraf Hussain wanted to know was it the reply (setting his factory ablaze) of all the good practices he have been doing? What was his fault? How will he pay the bank loans now? He was incurred a loss of Tk 1200 crore by the fire.
M Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin urged the government to save the industry by ensuring security of all the garment factories of the country. He said: “Concerted efforts of all are needed to save the industry and make the evil designs of vested quarters a failure.”
M Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin hoped that the law enforcing agencies would be able to arrest the masterminds behind the arson soon.