Rana Plaza Collapse (huge life losses)

[eastwatch]

BBC News - Bangladesh defends rejection of foreign aid for collapse

30 April 2013 Last updated at 01:32 GMT
Bangladesh defends rejection of foreign aid for collapse
Andrew North reports

Bangladesh has defended its decision to turn down foreign help following Wednesday's collapse of a building near Dhaka that killed at least 382 people.

Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir told the BBC authorities were confident they could deal with the crisis and emergency services did "a good job".

Hundreds are thought to be trapped but hope of finding more alive is fading.

Most victims are thought to be garment factory workers. The building's owner has been arrested.

Mohammed Sohel Rana is one of eight people detained, along with at least two garment factory owners.

It's unusual for countries to decline help when disaster strikes - whether they are rich or poor.

Hundreds of rescuers converged on Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, for example. They performed similar work to that needed in Bangladesh.

Japan, a far richer country, also accepted substantial help following its earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

Bangladesh's Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir said no help was needed because the local emergency services were well equipped.

This would appear to have been contradicted by the sometimes poorly-equipped volunteers scrabbling through the rubble and the apparent starting of a fire by people trying to cut their way through the building.

A senior diplomat with the UN's International Search and Rescue Advisory Group said an offer of help was made to Bangladesh very early on "because the lifesaving window of opportunity is in the first few days".

But, according to the diplomat, the Bangladesh government said it would manage the situation through domestic means.

They face allegations of negligence, illegal construction and persuading workers to enter the building in Savar - a day after visible cracks appeared.

Separately two companies whose suppliers were based in the building, Britain's Primark and Canada's Loblaw, said on Monday they would pay compensation and offer emergency food aid to victims who worked for their suppliers.

'Proud'
Mr Alamgir said that the Bangladeshi authorities "were confident we could manage it ourselves" in the rescue operation and had "enough people" involved in the rescue operation.

He pointed out that nearly 2,430 of at least 3,000 people who had been in the building survived.

The minister said this figure was "better than the average international effort in such cases".

"We did a good job and I am proud of my people - the firemen, the military, the police, the local volunteers who all came in to help."

Mr Alamgir added that foreign countries had not provided a list of specialist equipment Bangladesh had asked for.

Both the UK government and the United Nations have said they had teams of experts ready to head out to Bangladesh, but their offer of help was turned down.

'No-one seen alive'
Anger at the building's collapse has triggered days of violent protests in Dhaka demanding those responsible be punished and for an improvement in factory conditions.

Garment industry workers across the country were given the weekend off, in the hope that the anger would fade.

But on Monday, thousands of workers walked out of factories in the Ashulia and Gazipur industrial districts shortly after they opened, and staged a protest march, reportedly setting fire to an ambulance.

Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, providing cheap clothing for major Western retailers that benefit from its widespread low-cost labour.

But the industry has been widely criticised for its low pay and limited rights given to workers and for the often dangerous working conditions in garment factories.

 

[Skallagrim]

BBC News - Bangladesh defends rejection of foreign aid for collapse

30 April 2013 Last updated at 01:32 GMT
Bangladesh defends rejection of foreign aid for collapse
Andrew North reports

Bangladesh has defended its decision to turn down foreign help following Wednesday's collapse of a building near Dhaka that killed at least 382 people.

Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir told the BBC authorities were confident they could deal with the crisis and emergency services did "a good job".

Hundreds are thought to be trapped but hope of finding more alive is fading.

Most victims are thought to be garment factory workers. The building's owner has been arrested.

Mohammed Sohel Rana is one of eight people detained, along with at least two garment factory owners.

It's unusual for countries to decline help when disaster strikes - whether they are rich or poor.

Hundreds of rescuers converged on Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, for example. They performed similar work to that needed in Bangladesh.

Japan, a far richer country, also accepted substantial help following its earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

Bangladesh's Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir said no help was needed because the local emergency services were well equipped.

This would appear to have been contradicted by the sometimes poorly-equipped volunteers scrabbling through the rubble and the apparent starting of a fire by people trying to cut their way through the building.

A senior diplomat with the UN's International Search and Rescue Advisory Group said an offer of help was made to Bangladesh very early on "because the lifesaving window of opportunity is in the first few days".

But, according to the diplomat, the Bangladesh government said it would manage the situation through domestic means.

They face allegations of negligence, illegal construction and persuading workers to enter the building in Savar - a day after visible cracks appeared.

Separately two companies whose suppliers were based in the building, Britain's Primark and Canada's Loblaw, said on Monday they would pay compensation and offer emergency food aid to victims who worked for their suppliers.

'Proud'
Mr Alamgir said that the Bangladeshi authorities "were confident we could manage it ourselves" in the rescue operation and had "enough people" involved in the rescue operation.

He pointed out that nearly 2,430 of at least 3,000 people who had been in the building survived.

The minister said this figure was "better than the average international effort in such cases".

"We did a good job and I am proud of my people - the firemen, the military, the police, the local volunteers who all came in to help."

Mr Alamgir added that foreign countries had not provided a list of specialist equipment Bangladesh had asked for.

Both the UK government and the United Nations have said they had teams of experts ready to head out to Bangladesh, but their offer of help was turned down.

'No-one seen alive'
Anger at the building's collapse has triggered days of violent protests in Dhaka demanding those responsible be punished and for an improvement in factory conditions.

Garment industry workers across the country were given the weekend off, in the hope that the anger would fade.

But on Monday, thousands of workers walked out of factories in the Ashulia and Gazipur industrial districts shortly after they opened, and staged a protest march, reportedly setting fire to an ambulance.

Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, providing cheap clothing for major Western retailers that benefit from its widespread low-cost labour.

But the industry has been widely criticised for its low pay and limited rights given to workers and for the often dangerous working conditions in garment factories.

Now what's your take on this news?

 

[the just]

Isn't it obvious now,they didn't want outside help cause then we would have known by now how many have died .though our Army and Fire service with the help of volunteers has done a extraordinary job despite lack of proper machinery and training in this situation. But yes it would have been great to save more life with the help of pro's.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

i suppose you are an expert..

No I'm not but you Indian dalals pretend to be ....

 

[eastwatch]

Now what's your take on this news?

Columnists are just columnists. Column writers living 8000 km away and writing columns for his home (England) readers in the comfort of his living room has no relevancy to the reality at the ground in Bangladesh, where it takes more than five hours to reach Savar from the airport at the earliest. The equipment could have taken at least a total of 36 hrs even if transported from London by a Hercules to Dhaka airport, because time is needed to select one and to arrange a Hercules.

Our military and volunteers did a superb job without waiting for westerners to come with heavy equipment, which was impossible. It was not a Sidr or tsunami like calamity that needs those helps, because the after effects linger for a very long time. However, their short rescue operation would have done better if you and MBI Munshi would have been there led by Idune.

 

[Skallagrim]

Columnists are just columnists. Column writers living 8000 km away and writing columns for his home (England) readers in the comfort of his living room has no relevancy to the reality at the ground in Bangladesh, where it takes more than five hours to reach Savar from the airport at the earliest. The equipment could have taken at least a total of 36 hrs even if transported from London by a Hercules to Dhaka airport, because time is needed to select one and to arrange a Hercules.

Our military and volunteers did a superb job without waiting for westerners to come with heavy equipment, which was impossible. It was not a Sidr or tsunami like calamity that needs those helps, because the after effects linger for a very long time. However, their short rescue operation would have done better if you and MBI Munshi would have been there led by Idune.

The govt rejected the offer on grounds of 'self-sufficiency' not on the ground that the equipment wouldn't reach the site in time. So what you say is irrelevant.

Bangladesh's Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir said no help was needed because the local emergency services were well equipped.

Also those who made the offer were well-aware of the narrow time frame.

A senior diplomat with the UN's International Search and Rescue Advisory Group said an offer of help was made to Bangladesh very early on "because the lifesaving window of opportunity is in the first few days.

 

[idune]

Columnists are just columnists. Column writers living 8000 km away and writing columns for his home (England) readers in the comfort of his living room has no relevancy to the reality at the ground in Bangladesh, where it takes more than five hours to reach Savar from the airport at the earliest. The equipment could have taken at least a total of 36 hrs even if transported from London by a Hercules to Dhaka airport, because time is needed to select one and to arrange a Hercules.

Our military and volunteers did a superb job without waiting for westerners to come with heavy equipment, which was impossible. It was not a Sidr or tsunami like calamity that needs those helps, because the after effects linger for a very long time. However, their short rescue operation would have done better if you and MBI Munshi would have been there led by Idune.

Hundreds of MORE peple could have saved if int'l rescue teams allowed. These rescue teams from UK and elsewhere in western countries use infrared scanners for locating survivors and used different hydraulic tools to lift structure with minimum risk to suvivors. Awami League and its dalals in different shades are from very beginning trying to hide death and destruction. And preventing int'l team in the name of army, pride and etc. are just excuse for Awami League and its dalals to hide the fact 1000 more workers are still missing and could have been saved (at least many of them).

Awami League and its dalals chest thumping with tragedy WHEN they are the one who killed these innocent workers forced to die. It is even more tragic that Awami League regime and its defenders prevented rescue teams which could save hundreds more. REAL tragedy is Awami League killing and deception in the name of human tragedy.

 

[Zabaniyah]

These same people those who are politicizing the thread are not saying anything from where these so called Rana accumulated such a big amount of wealth and which government gave permission to build this house.

This is BNP government under which he started doing drug business and accumulated huge wealth utilizing his father in law's connection who was holing a senior position of Chatra Dal at Savar during BNP government time.

After BAL came to power he became close to Murad Jong and bought one of the BAL position from him.

Not only that this is BNP government under which in 2006 he took the permission to build this Rana Plaza which was not even filled at that time and was taken away from a hindu man by force.

This is quite evident from where this rana has risen to his present position.

I did not posted these as I did not wanted to politicize this tragic event which some selective members are trying to do.

It's interesting to note that this isn't the first time such incidents have occurred:
BBC NEWS | South Asia | Building collapses in Bangladesh

The only thing is that the Savar tragedy is the darkest day for the RMG industry of Bangladesh.

A simple innocent question for all the political pundits out there: What relevant steps did the BNP take in respect to the issue of workplace safety during their reign? Did they do so with full cooperation with the AL given that workplace safety is a prime issue?

The RMG industry grew very rapidly. And now only to appear as a ghost industry. Imagine what folks in other countries would perceive when they first hear the word 'Bangladesh' after reading such news.

And who's is destroying the RMG industry?

The correct question should be: What is destroying it?

Answer: Avarice (extreme greed).

Awami League is only part of the problem. It is much vast and deeper than that.

The govt rejected the offer on grounds of 'self-sufficiency' not on the ground that the equipment wouldn't reach the site in time. So what you say is irrelevant.

Also those who made the offer were well-aware of the narrow time frame.

Damn....if that was the case, then they should have accepted foreign aid in the very first stages of the disaster recovery operations. More lives could have been perhaps saved. Those guys are experts on such operations, and know what they are talking about and the things they do.

Do we even have any disaster recovery strategies in Bangladesh? What if a big earthquake hits one day? Imagine....

 

[PlanetSoldier]

Columnists are just columnists. Column writers living 8000 km away and writing columns for his home (England) readers in the comfort of his living room has no relevancy to the reality at the ground in Bangladesh, where it takes more than five hours to reach Savar from the airport at the earliest. The equipment could have taken at least a total of 36 hrs even if transported from London by a Hercules to Dhaka airport, because time is needed to select one and to arrange a Hercules.

Our military and volunteers did a superb job without waiting for westerners to come with heavy equipment, which was impossible. It was not a Sidr or tsunami like calamity that needs those helps, because the after effects linger for a very long time. However, their short rescue operation would have done better if you and MBI Munshi would have been there led by Idune.

Reaching after 36 hrs (1 and 1/2 days) of the collapse they could easily join the team, still the rescue operation is on. No one is saying that it's a must to join the rescue operation instantly after the accident. Why you are supporting such a stupid decision you know well. Everyone takes international support, there's nothing about losing national pride, reasons seem to be different or it's a plain stupidity. If US can take assistance from Australia during fire disaster and vice versa without harming their national pride, definitely for us the reason is different.

I remember such a stupidity by our previous BNP govt., I forgot the exact disaster though. Maybe it was a calamity in 2003 when BD needed foreign assistance. ActionAid did have that ability and one of their BD top guy rushed to Khaleda Zia and told that they had the adequate equipments needed to rescue the victims, their heavy equipments were available under ActionAid india. They were willing to instantly join the rescue operation but there's only one protocol...BD highest authority had to officially seek their assistance. Khaleda said if they wished they could join but BD couldn't officially seek assistance from an NGO which would harm national image. This is how our admin is run by bunch of hogs.

 

[kalu_miah]

Reaching after 36 hrs (1 and 1/2 days) of the collapse they could easily join the team, still the rescue operation is on. No one is saying that it's a must to join the rescue operation instantly after the accident. Why you are supporting such a stupid decision you know well. Everyone takes international support, there's nothing about losing national pride, reasons seem to be different or it's a plain stupidity. If US can take assistance from Australia during fire disaster and vice versa without harming their national pride, definitely for us the reason is different.

I remember such a stupidity by our previous BNP govt., I forgot the exact disaster though. Maybe it was a calamity in 2003 when BD needed foreign assistance. ActionAid did have that ability and one of their BD top guy rushed to Khaleda Zia and told that they had the adequate equipments needed to rescue the victims, their heavy equipments were available under ActionAid india. They were willing to instantly join the rescue operation but there's only one protocol...BD highest authority had to officially seek their assistance. Khaleda said if they wished they could join but BD couldn't officially seek assistance from an NGO which would harm national image. This is how our admin is run by bunch of hogs.

If KZ did that, it was a mistake and she should be held responsible. By the same token, Hasina should be held accountable for her mistaken decision, not to request and allow foreign help. I am deeply disappointed with all those that are supporting Hasina's decision and trying to justify it still. There is no excuse for failing to save human lives, from Mutinies, Political killings, police firing on unarmed protesters or from botched rescue operations. People deserve an answer.

 

[Zabaniyah]

Sohel Rana ar fashi chai

If KZ did that, it was a mistake and she should be held responsible. By the same token, Hasina should be held accountable for her mistaken decision, not to request and allow foreign help. I am deeply disappointed with all those that are supporting Hasina's decision and trying to justify it still. There is no excuse for failing to save human lives, from Mutinies, Political killings, police firing on unarmed protesters or from botched rescue operations. People deserve an answer.

Okay....how about persecuting those two netris?

In a recent television interview, one RMG worker stated that many of the culprits who are irresponsibly running the RMG industry are either BNP or AL. And that is the reason why they are never brought fully to book.

I believed him, and recorded facts proved him right.

 

[Mattrixx]

Reaching after 36 hrs (1 and 1/2 days) of the collapse they could easily join the team, still the rescue operation is on. No one is saying that it's a must to join the rescue operation instantly after the accident. Why you are supporting such a stupid decision you know well. Everyone takes international support, there's nothing about losing national pride, reasons seem to be different or it's a plain stupidity. If US can take assistance from Australia during fire disaster and vice versa without harming their national pride, definitely for us the reason is different.

I remember such a stupidity by our previous BNP govt., I forgot the exact disaster though. Maybe it was a calamity in 2003 when BD needed foreign assistance. ActionAid did have that ability and one of their BD top guy rushed to Khaleda Zia and told that they had the adequate equipments needed to rescue the victims, their heavy equipments were available under ActionAid india. They were willing to instantly join the rescue operation but there's only one protocol...BD highest authority had to officially seek their assistance. Khaleda said if they wished they could join but BD couldn't officially seek assistance from an NGO which would harm national image. This is how our admin is run by bunch of hogs.

No foreign rescue mission is necessary now. If some foreign companies want to aid the employees they can do it later.This is not that kinds of disaster where heavy equipments or technology is needed. This is a critical condition where steps should be taken calmly. Gov authorities are doing their job.
If foreign help is allowed. So what they can do special here. And how much time they will take to reach here and when they can start work.

 

[Zabaniyah]

Little signs of life in the rubble

Death toll 387 as 5 more bodies found

Huge cranes on Tuesday continued lifting away debris from the collapsed Rana Plaza with the authorities using sniffer dogs and sensor devices to search for bodies or survivors who might have still remained trapped under the rubble seven days into the disaster.

The authorities said the number of bodies still trapped under the rubble could hover around four or five hundred as they estimated that the number of people who were staying inside the building when it came crashing down on Wednesday morning might be around 3,200.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association vice-president SM Mannan had told New Age after the disaster that 3,400 people used to work in the garment units in the building while the survivors and locals put the number at about 5,000.

Though police stationed at the Adhar Chandra High School premises listed over 1,000 missing workers, the control room set up by the army said they had no idea about the list.

Police have prepared a list of persons, who are believed to have been missing, with information provided by their relatives who are desperately searching for the missing people.
The rescuers on Tuesday found five more bodies in the debris that took the death toll to 387 as estimated by the control room.

The bodies, mostly decomposed beyond recognition, were being sent straight to Dhaka Medical College Hospital mortuary. The rescuers were seen pulling out bodies and wrapping them in polythene bags before sending them to hospital.

The notice board at the control room said the death toll reached 387 as of 5:15pm with five more bodies recovered on Tuesday while removing the rubble with heavy equipment.

It said some 2,437 survivors had been rescued since the building collapsed. Of them, 107 were taking treatment at Savar Combined Military Hospital, 214 at Enam Medical College Hospital at Savar, 34 at Savar upazila health complex and 40 in different hospitals in Dhaka and Savar.

Brigadier general Siddiqul Alam Sikder, who is in charge of the rescue operation, said one Shahjahan was the last survivor they had rescued on Sunday night.

‘But we could save his life. He died two or three minutes after rescue,’ said Sikder. He said Shahjahan was trapped in the same place where Shahnaj Parveen was spotted.

Shahjahan was pulled out a few minutes before a fire broke out at the place leading to the death of Shahnaj despite a frantic 11-hour effort by the rescuers to pull her out alive.

Though chances of finding any more survivors were diminishing, many relatives of missing workers were still waiting at the collapse site with the hope that they would at least find the bodies.

Heavy equipment like hydraulic cranes, excavators and bulldozers were operating round the clock to remove the debris. Excavator drill machines were breaking huge slabs of concrete into pieces while hydraulic cranes were lifting the rubble away.

Several decaying bodies were still spotted at the collapse site on Tuesday.

The general officer commanding of the ninth infantry division, Major General Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, who is coordinating the rescue operation, said that the second phase of rescue operation would continue until they were absolutely certain that there were no more bodies or survivors at the site.

Addressing a press conference at the control room at about 1:00pm, Sarwardy, however, could not say for how many days they would continue the second phase of the rescue operation.

He said they would henceforth use two sniffer dogs to spot bodies or survivors, if there were any.

Asked why the authorities had refused the offer from foreign agencies and countries for assistance in the rescue operation, he asked what they would do.

‘They would do what we have done,’ he said. The GOC claimed that there was no alternative to the method they used in the rescue operation.

‘What would have been achieved if the foreign assistance had been taken,’ he asked.
He said several Indian engineers who had been working for different firms in Bangladesh were engaged in the rescue operation.

In reply to a question, he said they were preparing a list of missing people. When his attention was drawn to the list prepared by the law enforcers at Adhar Chandra High School ground, he said they did not have any idea about the police list.

‘How can the number of missing people be over 1,000 as we have already recovered a total of 2,824, including the dead, out of an estimated 3,200 people,’ he wondered.

But he could not say exactly from where they had got the figure of 3,200 people. ‘We have come to know that there were an estimated 3,200 people inside the building [when the disaster struck].’

Asked whether they had contacted the BGMEA to establish the figure, he replied in the positive and said the BGMEA was yet to supply them a list.

Sarwardy said the authorities were sending injured rescuer, Abdul Aziz, to Singapore for better treatment. Aziz sustained burn injuries when a fire broke out while the rescuers were cutting a rod in a futile bid to rescue Shahnaj on Sunday night.

The authorities on Tuesday opened the highway in front of the collapsed Rana Plaza for traffic seven days into the rescue operation at the site.

Source: Little signs of life in the rubble

 

[idune]

I remember such a stupidity by our previous BNP govt., I forgot the exact disaster though. Maybe it was a calamity in 2003 when BD needed foreign assistance. ActionAid did have that ability and one of their BD top guy rushed to Khaleda Zia and told that they had the adequate equipments needed to rescue the victims, their heavy equipments were available under ActionAid india. They were willing to instantly join the rescue operation but there's only one protocol...BD highest authority had to officially seek their assistance. Khaleda said if they wished they could join but BD couldn't officially seek assistance from an NGO which would harm national image. This is how our admin is run by bunch of hogs.

If you have specific proof then bring it up otherwise it is just hearsay speculation. Also, since Awami League is in knee deep on peoples blood lets find some thing wrong BNP did; is a nice template for EXCUSE but that is not why people voted (or so claimed) Awami League. People voted Awami League to do better than BNP. And not to spend billions on buying questionable arms when there is no proper rescue equipments. This is not the first tragedy happened in Awami League watch. These foreign experts were not competitor to pride, army or anyone else as Awami League and its dalals are trying to propagate, they would have been complementing overall rescue effort and save more lives. And lets make no mistake - preventing foreign capable hand and equipment to save hundreds of workers life has NO EXCUSE and downright massacre in worst form.

 

[TopCat]

Reaching after 36 hrs (1 and 1/2 days) of the collapse they could easily join the team, still the rescue operation is on. No one is saying that it's a must to join the rescue operation instantly after the accident. Why you are supporting such a stupid decision you know well. Everyone takes international support, there's nothing about losing national pride, reasons seem to be different or it's a plain stupidity. If US can take assistance from Australia during fire disaster and vice versa without harming their national pride, definitely for us the reason is different.

I remember such a stupidity by our previous BNP govt., I forgot the exact disaster though. Maybe it was a calamity in 2003 when BD needed foreign assistance. ActionAid did have that ability and one of their BD top guy rushed to Khaleda Zia and told that they had the adequate equipments needed to rescue the victims, their heavy equipments were available under ActionAid india. They were willing to instantly join the rescue operation but there's only one protocol...BD highest authority had to officially seek their assistance. Khaleda said if they wished they could join but BD couldn't officially seek assistance from an NGO which would harm national image. This is how our admin is run by bunch of hogs.

You guys think that white people are better in rescuing you? You have no idea what you are suggesting.
There is no way any foreign country can come in aid in 36 hours, due to distance and bureaucracy in their own country. Heavy equipment cant be flown in from USA (which is 24 hours flight), UK 8 hours flight etc. So no foreign country will be able to save a single life.
Now what left? Cleaning the rubble? Well I think all the patriotic PDF jamati veteran could extend their help and start carrying those concretes and clean them up soon instead of asking foreign help. At least do something for the country and its the time.