Bangladesh factory fire highlights lethal chemical problem

DHAKA - The death toll of 16 from the recent garment factory and warehouse blaze in Mirpur, Dhaka has once again drawn attention to fire safety in Bangladesh, but the real tragedy lies in the systemic failure it exposed.

While the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) was quick to confirm that the affected factory was not a member of the formal export sector, the fire reveals a dangerous reality that the entire global garment supply chain can’t ignore: Bangladesh’s chemical storage problem.