EU urges Dhaka to boost worker safety after new tragedy

The European Union has called on Bangladesh to bring its factories up to international standards in the wake of the collapse of a garment complex where at least 388 people died.
"As Bangladesh's largest trade partner, the European Union is very concerned about the labour conditions, including health and safety provisions, established for workers in factories across the country," said EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton and Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, yesterday.
"The European Union calls upon the Bangladeshi authorities to act immediately to ensure that factories across the country comply with international labour standards including International Labour Organisation conventions," they said in a statement.

It said the EU was ready to help Bangladeshi authorities meet international standards and said the EU also encouraged foreign companies to promote better health and safety standards in garment factories in Bangladesh.
The latest tragedy has once again focused attention on poor safety conditions in the USD 20 billion (15 billion euro) Bangladeshi garment industry, the world's second biggest after China's.