Kmart has become the first clothing chain to offer compensation to the victims and their families of the readymade garment factory of Palmal Group that was burnt down in Gazipur on October 9, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
Kmart has been the latest company to confirm that they had recently placed an order with the factory, offering financial compensation.
''Our team on the ground in Bangladesh are working with Palmal and the Accord team to ensure that all affected families are compensated and that the factory workers can find alternative jobs,'' a statement from Kmart said.
The readymade garment unit of Palmal Group caught fire around 7pm on October 9, leaving at least seven people dead and 50 others injured. Nine fire fighting units finally brought the fire under control around 4am on October 10.
The fire is said to have gone out of control because of a boiler explosion.
Sources said the workers were killed while trying to douse the flame.
District administration provided Tk20,000 in compensation to the victims’ families, while the company authorities also provided Tk50,000 to each family for their burial. The factory owners have also announced Tk500,000 in compensation for families of each victim.
Later, a seven-member probe committee was formed and has been asked to submit a report within seven days of the incident at Gazipur’s Aswad Composite Mills Limited, a sister concern of Palmal Group, in Sreepur.