A fire today at a garment factory outside Bangladesh's capital has killed at least nine people, an official said.
Fire official Zafar Ahmed said nine bodies were found inside the four-story building housing the Aswad garment factory in Gazipur outside Dhaka.
Local journalist Iqbal Ahmed said from the scene that the fire occurred when the factory was closed for the day, but some employees were still inside working overtime.
Harsh and often unsafe working conditions in Bangladesh's garment industry drew global attention after the collapse of an eight-story factory building in April killed more than 1,100 people.
The industry has experienced numerous fires, including one last November that killed 112 workers.
Bangladesh earns USD 20 billion a year from garment exports, mainly to the United States and Europe. The sector employs about 4 million workers, mostly women.
Authorities in Bangladesh and global clothing companies have pledged to improve safety standards.
