Death in Panic Shows Fears of Fire for Bangladesh Workers

In the panic that spread after shouts of “fire” sent workers racing out of Dhaka’s Apparel Today factory last week, 23-year-old Morzina Begum tumbled over a broken railing and bled to death. There was no fire -- it was a false alarm.

Garment workers in Bangladesh’s capital city have reason to be afraid. In the two weeks since a blaze at Tazreen Fashion Ltd. killed more than 100 people, at least eighteen smaller, non-fatal fires have broken out at garment factories around Dhaka. There have been at least 150 fires in the country this year.