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| Bangladesh building collapse: clashes erupt amid anger over rescue operation | Bangladesh building collapse: clashes erupt amid anger over rescue operation |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Rescue work at the site of the clothes factory in Bangladesh that collapsed this week was suspended for two hours on Friday morning after relatives of hundreds of workers who are still missing clashed with police. | Rescue work at the site of the clothes factory in Bangladesh that collapsed this week was suspended for two hours on Friday morning after relatives of hundreds of workers who are still missing clashed with police. |
| The Rana Plaza complex housed factories that made clothes for western companies including the British high street retail chains Primark and Matalan. | |
| The death toll has reached 300 but is expected to rise significantly. About 3,000 people are thought to have been in the building in the industrial zone of Savar on the outskirts of the capital, Dhaka, when it collapsed on Wednesday morning shortly after the day's work started. | |
| More than 60 have been found alive and at least 1,000 are thought to have escaped unscathed. | |
| A fire service official said relatives gathered outside the collapsed complex had complained that the rescue work was proceeding too slowly. Crowds clashed with police trying to maintain order and law enforcement personnel fired tear gas in response. | |
| "The police barred us from going near the spot and when we protested, starting hitting us with sticks," said Majid Mia, who had been waiting outside the site for two days hoping for news of his missing daughter, Minara. | "The police barred us from going near the spot and when we protested, starting hitting us with sticks," said Majid Mia, who had been waiting outside the site for two days hoping for news of his missing daughter, Minara. |
| "When some men pelted the police with stones, they fired tear gas," he added. | "When some men pelted the police with stones, they fired tear gas," he added. |
| The rescue operation resumed after a two-hour delay. | The rescue operation resumed after a two-hour delay. |
| Locals and relatives of the victims said the rescue effort has been hampered due to a lack of modern equipment. Hundreds of people have been moving rubble with crowbars, picks and their bare hands. | |
| Criticism has mounted over the government response to the tragedy. Many analysts have pointed out that the bulk of the rescue effort was being shouldered by volunteers. On Friday, volunteer rescuers were seen holding up hand-written placards requesting electric drills, surgical masks and other rescue equipment. | Criticism has mounted over the government response to the tragedy. Many analysts have pointed out that the bulk of the rescue effort was being shouldered by volunteers. On Friday, volunteer rescuers were seen holding up hand-written placards requesting electric drills, surgical masks and other rescue equipment. |
| "We're struggling for equipment and supplies," said Mehdi Hasan, a volunteer. "We need more help from the authorities." | "We're struggling for equipment and supplies," said Mehdi Hasan, a volunteer. "We need more help from the authorities." |
| The owner of the collapsed building, Sohel Rana, is a local politician connected to the ruling Awami League and reportedly used retainers to intimidate workers who refused to enter the ill-fated building on Wednesday morning. | The owner of the collapsed building, Sohel Rana, is a local politician connected to the ruling Awami League and reportedly used retainers to intimidate workers who refused to enter the ill-fated building on Wednesday morning. |
| Local media have criticised statements by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, and the home minister, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir. Hasina was on TV on Wednesday saying that the building had been evacuated but some people had been trapped after "they went back for their things". | |
| The home minister was ridiculed on social media after he told the BBC that the building may have collapsed after opposition activists enforcing a general strike "pushed at the gate and columns of the building". | The home minister was ridiculed on social media after he told the BBC that the building may have collapsed after opposition activists enforcing a general strike "pushed at the gate and columns of the building". |
| Despite recent economic growth, Bangladesh remains one of the world's poorest country with public services crippled by widespread corruption. | Despite recent economic growth, Bangladesh remains one of the world's poorest country with public services crippled by widespread corruption. |
| There are claims that the owner of the Rana Plaza complex, built in 2007 on marshy land, used political influence to evade planning restrictions. | There are claims that the owner of the Rana Plaza complex, built in 2007 on marshy land, used political influence to evade planning restrictions. |
| Elsewhere in Dhaka on Friday morning, angry garment workers protesting about the Savar tragedy damaged an estimated 100 vehicles in the Mirpur, Rampura and Badda areas of the city while thousands more downed tools. They are demanding the arrest of Rana, who has disappeared. | Elsewhere in Dhaka on Friday morning, angry garment workers protesting about the Savar tragedy damaged an estimated 100 vehicles in the Mirpur, Rampura and Badda areas of the city while thousands more downed tools. They are demanding the arrest of Rana, who has disappeared. |
| Iqbal Hossain, in charge of Badda police station, told the Guardian that demonstrations had suddenly turned violent. | Iqbal Hossain, in charge of Badda police station, told the Guardian that demonstrations had suddenly turned violent. |
| "We're trying to talk to garment labour leaders to calm the situation," he said. | "We're trying to talk to garment labour leaders to calm the situation," he said. |
| Officials said Rana was told of dangerous cracks in the building on Tuesday. While a bank in the building closed on Wednesday because of the warnings, the five clothing companies told their workers there was no danger, industry officials said. | |
| "We asked the garment owners to keep it closed," said Mohammad Atiqul Isla, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). | "We asked the garment owners to keep it closed," said Mohammad Atiqul Isla, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). |
| Jahangir Kabir Nanak, a government minister, said about 40 people had been rescued late on Thursday night. | Jahangir Kabir Nanak, a government minister, said about 40 people had been rescued late on Thursday night. |
| Nanak told Reuters they had been working on the fourth floor of the building and had all been found trapped in one room. | Nanak told Reuters they had been working on the fourth floor of the building and had all been found trapped in one room. |
| The booming garment trade is a major foreign exchange earner in Bangladesh and employs about 4 million people. Most of the exports – 60% - goes to Europe while the US takes 23% and Canada5%. | |
| However a series of accidents at garment factories have claimed hundreds of lives. Only months ago a fire in a factory without proper fire escapes killed 114. | However a series of accidents at garment factories have claimed hundreds of lives. Only months ago a fire in a factory without proper fire escapes killed 114. |
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