Dhaka Building Collapse: H&M Commits To Safety Plan In Bangladesh

H&M Backs Bangladesh Safety Plan

High street clothing retailer H&M today committed to a fire and safety plan in Bangladesh aimed at preventing any repeats of the disastrous building collapse that left more than 1,000 workers dead.

In a statement, the company, which has more than 200 stores in the UK, said it was publicly committing to supporting the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh.

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Bangladeshi army doctors and other officers sit with Reshma Begum, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of the building

The Accord, designed for a five-year period, is aimed at improving fire and building safety in the garment industry in Bangladesh to avoid a repeat of the recent tragedy.

The Rana Plaza building collapse is the latest in a series of deadly incidents in the country, whose garment industry supplies much of the western world.

In its statement today, H&M said the commitment to the Accord was an extra step for its sustainability programme.

Head of sustainability Helena Helmersson said: "Fire and building safety are extremely important issues for us and we put a lot of effort and resources within this area.

"H&M has for many years taken the lead to improve and secure the safety of the workers in the garment industry. With this commitment we can now influence even more in this issue.

"We hope for a broad coalition of signatures in order for the agreement to work effectively on ground."

The firm said it was playing an active role in improving fire safety in Bangladeshi garment factories, including introducing in 2011 an education to increase fire safety awareness among suppliers and their employees.

It also requires that all the supplier factories conduct electrical assessments in their factories and has offered to share these costs with them, the firm said.

"Our strong presence in Bangladesh gives us the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and contribute to the community's development," Ms Helmersson added.

"By being on site, put demands on manufacturers and work for continuous improvements, we can slowly but surely contribute to lasting changes."

H&M's move was today welcomed by campaign group Avaaz, which has been calling on leading retailers to join the agreement to clean up what it calls Bangladesh's "death shops".

Today, it said it is now focusing its efforts on other companies to encourage them to sign up by the deadline on Wednesday.

Campaign director Alex Wilks said: "H&M's announcement is great news for millions of workers in Bangladesh.

"Consumers should reward H&M's leadership and consider the ethics of shopping at other major high street brands who have still to sign this strong agreement that will make Bangladesh's factories safe."

Woman found alive in Bangladesh rubble 17 days after collapse
Reshma Begum(01 of23)
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Bangladeshi army doctors and other officers sit beside as Reshma Begum, center, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed factory building talks to the media at a hospital in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, May 13, 2013. Begum said Monday that she will never again work in a Bangladesh garment factory. Nearly three weeks after the Bangladesh garment-factory building collapsed, the search for the dead ended Monday at the site of the worst disaster in the history of the global garment industry. The death toll: 1,127. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
Reshma Begum(02 of23)
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Reshma Begum, center, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed factory building talks to the media at a hospital in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, May 13, 2013. Begum spoke to reporters Monday from the hospital where she is being treated. She told them she never expected to be rescued alive, and she vowed, "I will not work in a garment factory again." (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
Reshma Begum(03 of23)
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Reshma Begum, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed factory building speaks to the media at a hospital in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, May 13, 2013. Begum said Monday that she will never again work in a Bangladesh garment factory. Nearly three weeks after the Bangladesh garment-factory building collapsed, the search for the dead ended Monday at the site of the worst disaster in the history of the global garment industry. The death toll: 1,127. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
Reshma Begum(04 of23)
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Reshma Begum, center, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed factory building, sitting in a wheelchair, meets the media at a hospital in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, May 13, 2013. Begum said Monday that she will never again work in a Bangladesh garment factory. Nearly three weeks after a Bangladesh garment-factory building collapsed, the search for the dead ended Monday at the site of the worst disaster in the history of the global garment industry. The death toll: 1,127. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
Reshma Begum(05 of23)
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Reshma Begum, the 19-year-old seamstress who spent 17 days trapped in the rubble of a collapsed factory building, adjusts her shawl as she meets the media at a hospital in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Monday, May 13, 2013. Begum said Monday that she will never again work in a Bangladesh garment factory. Nearly three weeks after the Bangladesh garment-factory building collapsed, the search for the dead ended Monday at the site of the worst disaster in the history of the global garment industry. The death toll: 1,127. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(06 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(07 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(08 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(09 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(10 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(11 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after the eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(12 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after an eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(13 of23)
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Rescuers carry a survivor pulled out from the rubble of a building that collapsed in Saver, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed the woman buried for 17 days inside the wreckage of a garment factory building that collapsed, killing more than 1,000 people. Soldiers at the site said her name was Reshma and described her as being in remarkably good shape despite her ordeal. (AP Photo/Parvez Ahmad Rony) (credit:AP)
(14 of23)
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In this image taken from a TV footage released by AP video, a woman survivor lies down on a hospital bed in Dhaka as she was rescued out of a collapsed building in Savar near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. The woman buried in the wreckage of a collapsed garment factory building for 17 days was rescued Friday, a miraculous moment set against a scene of unimaginable horror where the death toll is more than 1,000 and still rising. (AP Photo/Somoy TV via AP Video) BANGLADESH OUT (credit:AP)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(15 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after the eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(16 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after the eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(17 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after the eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
BANGLADESH-BUILDING-DISASTER-TEXTILE(18 of23)
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Bangladeshi rescuers retrieve garment worker Reshma from the rubble of a collapsed building in Savar on May 10, 2013, seventeen days after the eight-storey building collapsed. The death toll from last month's collapse of a garment factory complex in Bangladesh rose past 1,000 as piles of bodies were found in the ruins of a stairwell where victims had sought shelter. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(19 of23)
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Rescuers carry a survivor pulled out from the rubble of a building that collapsed in Saver, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed the woman buried for 17 days inside the wreckage of a garment factory building that collapsed, killing more than 1,000 people. Soldiers at the site said her name was Reshma and described her as being in remarkably good shape despite her ordeal. (AP Photo/Parvez Ahmad Rony) (credit:AP)
(20 of23)
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Rescuers carry a survivor pulled out from the rubble of a building that collapsed in Saver, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed the woman buried for 17 days inside the wreckage of a garment factory building that collapsed, killing more than 1,000 people. Soldiers at the site said her name was Reshma and described her as being in remarkably good shape despite her ordeal. (AP Photo/Parvez Ahmad Rony) (credit:AP)
(21 of23)
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EDS NOTE ALTERNATIVE CROP OF DEL135 -- Rescuers carry a survivor pulled out from the rubble of a building that collapsed in Saver, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed the woman buried for 17 days inside the wreckage of a garment factory building that collapsed, killing more than 1,000 people. Soldiers at the site said her name was Reshma and described her as being in remarkably good shape despite her ordeal. (AP Photo/Parvez Ahmad Rony) (credit:AP)
(22 of23)
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In this image taken from a TV footage released by AP video, rescuers carry a woman survivor out of a collapsed building in a right screen in Savar near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed a woman buried for 17 days inside a prayer room in the wreckage of a collapsed garment factory building. The amazing rescue took place Friday as the death toll from the disaster raced past 1,000, making it one of the worst industrial tragedies in history. (AP Photo/Somoy TV via AP Video) BANGLADESH OUT (credit:AP)
(23 of23)
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In this image taken from a TV footage released by AP video, rescuers carry a woman survivor out of a collapsed building in a right screen in Savar near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Friday, May 10, 2013. Rescue workers in Bangladesh freed a woman buried for 17 days inside a prayer room in the wreckage of a collapsed garment factory building. The amazing rescue took place Friday as the death toll from the disaster raced past 1,000, making it one of the worst industrial tragedies in history. (AP Photo/Somoy TV via AP Video) BANGLADESH OUT (credit:AP)
Bangladesh Factory Collapse (UPDATED)
(01 of23)
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Bangladeshi garment workers set fire to furniture from a police control room during a protest against the collapse of an eight-story building that housed several garment factories and poor working conditions of the employees, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh took into custody five people in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building that collapsed this week, as rescue workers pulled out 19 survivors out of the rubble on Saturday and vowed to continue as long as necessary to find others despite fading hopes. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(02 of23)
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Bangladeshi policemen walk after chasing garment workers protesting against the collapse of an eight-story building that housed several garment factories and their employees, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh took into custody five people in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building that collapsed this week, as rescue workers pulled out 19 survivors out of the rubble on Saturday and vowed to continue as long as necessary to find others despite fading hopes. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(03 of23)
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A Bangladeshi Muslim rescue worker prays on the rubble of a building that collapsed Wednesday in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh arrested two owners of a garment factory in a shoddily-constructed building that collapsed this week, killing at least 324 people, as protests spread to a second city Saturday with hundreds of people throwing stones and setting fire to vehicles. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) (credit:AP)
(04 of23)
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A girl cries for her missing mother at the site of the garment building factory that collapsed Wednesday in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh took five people into custody in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building this week, as rescue workers pulled 19 survivors out of the rubble on Saturday and vowed to continue as long as necessary to find others despite fading hopes. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E) (credit:AP)
(05 of23)
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Women carry portraits of missing relatives at the site of the garment factory building that collapsed Wednesday, in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh took five people into custody in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building this week, as rescue workers pulled 19 survivors out of the rubble on Saturday and vowed to continue as long as necessary to find others despite fading hopes. (AP Photo/Ismail Ferdous) (credit:AP)
(06 of23)
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A man watches while rescue workers search for survivors at a garment factory building that collapsed Wednesday in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh took five people into custody in connection with the collapse of a shoddily-constructed building this week, as rescue workers pulled 19 survivors out of the rubble on Saturday and vowed to continue as long as necessary to find others despite fading hopes.(AP Photo/Ismail Ferdous) (credit:AP)
(07 of23)
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A Bangladeshi man holds a picture of a relative missing in a building that collapsed Wednesday hold pictures of loved ones at a makeshift morgue in a schoolyard in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh arrested two owners of a garment factory in a shoddily-constructed building that collapsed this week, killing at least 324 people, as protests spread to a second city Saturday with hundreds of people throwing stones and setting fire to vehicles. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) (credit:AP)
(08 of23)
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A Bangladeshi rescue worker directs others as they search in the rubble of a building that collapsed Wednesday in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, April 27, 2013. Police in Bangladesh arrested two owners of a garment factory in a shoddily-constructed building that collapsed this week, killing at least 324 people, as protests spread to a second city Saturday with hundreds of people throwing stones and setting fire to vehicles. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer) (credit:AP)
(09 of23)
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Relatives mourn a victim at the site where an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. The building collapsed near Bangladesh's capital Wednesday morning, killing dozens of people and trapping many more in the rubble, officials said. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(10 of23)
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People and rescuers gather after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(11 of23)
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People and rescuers gather after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(12 of23)
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Rescuers assist an injured woman after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(13 of23)
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Rescue workers carry a victim's body after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(14 of23)
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Rescue workers look for survivors after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(15 of23)
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A man who was trapped in an collapsed eight-story building housing several garment factories is reccued in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(16 of23)
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Rescue workers pull a woman out from the rubbles after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(17 of23)
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Rescue workers and people look for survivors after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(18 of23)
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Relatives mourn a victim at the site after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(19 of23)
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Rescuers carry a woman after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(20 of23)
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Rescue workers carry a young victim's body after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. Dozens were killed and many more are feared trapped in the rubble. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(21 of23)
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Rescue workers use pieces of clothes to bring down a survivor after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. The building collapsed near Bangladesh's capital Wednesday morning, killing dozens of people and trapping many more in the rubble, officials said. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(22 of23)
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A man who was trapped in an eight-story building housing several garment factories is rescued after the structure collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. The building collapsed near Bangladesh's capital Wednesday morning, killing dozens of people and trapping many more in the rubble, officials said. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)
(23 of23)
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Rescue workers use clothes to bring down survivors and bodies after an eight-story building housing several garment factories collapsed in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, April 24, 2013. The building collapsed near Bangladesh's capital Wednesday morning, killing dozens of people and trapping many more in the rubble, officials said. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad) (credit:AP)