Locked gates trap hundreds in Gazipur factories as 5.7 quake hits; over 200 workers injured in stampede
The brief but violent tremor sent a sudden, crushing wave of terror through the multi-storey buildings, but the workers' desperate attempt to flee to safety was immediately thwarted by locked exits
Over 200 garment workers in Gazipur were severely injured after a terrifying 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck Bangladesh this morning (21 November).
The mass panic was tragically compounded by what workers described as the callous negligence of factory management, who had locked the emergency and main exit gates, effectively trapping the entire workforce.
The sequence of events unfolded at approximately 10:40am at two factory complexes: Fashion Pulse Limited in Tongi's BSCIC area and DeniMac Factory in Sreepur municipality.
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In both locations, the brief but violent tremor sent a sudden, crushing wave of terror through the multi-storey buildings, but the workers' desperate attempt to flee to safety was immediately thwarted by locked exits.
At Fashion Pulse Limited in Tongi, which was operating despite being a weekly holiday, thousands of workers were suddenly faced with the shaking building.
According to the RMG workers and local sources, nearly all employees across the factory's nine floors rushed to exit together.
"Panic-stricken workers started running helter-skelter," a local stated. "But the factory's emergency security gate was closed, leading to a frantic pile-up. Many were injured in the stampede that followed the locked gate."
The injured, suffering from crush injuries, falls, and impact with walls, were rushed to Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital in Tongi and other nearby private clinics.
Main gate shut, workers crushed
A similar scene of devastating chaos erupted at the seven-storey DeniMac Factory in Sreepur, which employs around 10,000 workers.
"When the earthquake suddenly started, the building was shaking," recounted Monir Hossain, a worker. "Everyone panicked and rushed down the stairs. The factory authorities suddenly shut the main gate."
In a desperate, terrifying attempt to escape the visibly shaking building, the workers tried to break the gate.
"The workers tried to smash the gate," Monir continued. "The gate suddenly broke and fell, and at that moment, many workers were crushed underneath it."
Hundreds were injured in the subsequent stampede as thousands rushed the narrow stairwells and exits.
Another worker described the horror saying, "As thousands of workers rushed down the stairs together, many were injured. Many were trapped inside the building. Many women workers fell on the stairs."
Hospitals overwhelmed, police deployed
The influx of hundreds of injured workers quickly overwhelmed local medical facilities.
Dr Israt Jahan Eny, an emergency physician at the Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital in Tongi, said, "Hundreds of garment workers started arriving for treatment shortly after the earthquake. They are still arriving."
She noted that while most received first aid, one worker's condition deteriorated and required transfer to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Following the incident, police have been deployed at the Tongi hospital.
Despite the injuries, the factory authorities at Fashion Pulse refused to speak to the media.
Meanwhile, Mohidul Hasan, an HR official at DeniMac, offered only a brief statement saying, "The factory's security guards closed the gate. It is not possible to say more now. Many workers have been injured."
Sreepur Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Md Shafiqul Islam confirmed the hospital received a flood of workers injured while hurrying to exit during the quake.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sajib Ahmed said they are checking on the treatment of the injured.
