At the meeting held at Chittagong Circuit House on Monday evening, FBCCI Director Mohammad Amirul Haq, a member of the probe committee, said that KTS textile and garment factory was constructed in violation of Building Construction Rule and in deviation of the design approved by the Chittagong Development Authority.

The factory authorities ignored the matter of maintaining good working environment and safety of the workers.

During the fire both the main gates and one of the two staircases were locked.

The factory did not have sufficient space for installing machinery while a boiler set up beside the wall posed a constant threat, Amirul Haq said yesterday.

The KTS authorities employed a good number of child labourers on poor wages, many of whom were burnt alive or severely injured, he said.

The authorities did not arrange Group Insurance for over one thousand workers of the factory.

Suggesting punitive measures against the KTS owner and others concerned for the negligence and irresponsibility that led to the accident and the casualties, Amirul said BSCIC, DIFE and BGMEA also could not avoid their responsibility in this respect.

He also came down hard on the Fire Service for providing the factory authorities clearance for workshop warehouse licence though the later lacked in equipment and measures for preventing and fighting any fire incident.

The probe committee recommended reformation and strengthening of the DIFE, a separate regulatory body for constant supervision of the garment factories and setting up a boiler inspection office in Chittagong where hundreds of factories are located.