More than 50 workers at a garment factory in Ashulia, Savar, were taken to hospital after suddenly falling ill on Tuesday, with symptoms including breathing difficulties and headaches, according to doctors.
The exact cause of the incident, however, could not be immediately determined.
The incident occurred around 10:30 am at Magpie Composite Textile Ltd. in the Kathgara Amtala area of Ashulia. The affected workers were promptly taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Workers and factory officials said employees had reported to work as usual in the morning when several workers suddenly became unwell around 10:30 am. They were first treated at the factory’s medical centre before being referred to local hospitals.
The factory employs around 1,100 workers, of whom approximately 50 fell ill. Many of them recovered after receiving primary treatment and were later discharged.
Samiul Islam, a worker in the sewing section, told Dhaka Tribune that a strange smell appeared to emanate from a machine shortly before workers began experiencing health problems.
“We came to work as usual. Suddenly, a smell came from inside a machine. After that, I started having difficulty breathing. My arms and legs felt numb, I felt nauseous, and eventually became dizzy and collapsed,” he said.
He added that workers were initially taken to the factory’s medical centre for first aid, while those whose conditions could not be adequately managed at the factory medical facility were later transported to nearby hospitals in company-provided vehicles.
Factory fire safety officer Nahid said some workers had reported feeling slightly unwell during routine checks at the entrance in the morning and were advised to rest before resuming work.
“Everything was proceeding normally. Then, between 10:00 am and 11:00 am, workers began arriving at the medical centre one after another from the production floor. We provided primary treatment and referred those with more serious symptoms to hospitals,” he said.
According to Nahid, most of the affected workers are now in stable condition and recovering well.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the sudden illness. An investigation is expected to establish what triggered the incident.
Dr Abdul Ahad of Labzone Hospital in Savar told Dhaka Tribune that a large number of garment workers were brought to the hospital around 10:30 am.
“The patients primarily complained of breathing difficulties, while some also experienced vomiting and dizziness,” he said.
“We provided initial treatment to all of them. Those whose conditions were comparatively more serious were referred to other hospitals for advanced medical care. Most patients are now in stable condition, and those who have recovered are being discharged gradually,” the physician added.
According to Dr Ahad, approximately 20 patients were admitted to the hospital following the incident.