A 27-year-old garment worker died after collapsing at her workstation at a factory in Ashulia, Savar, on Friday afternoon. CCTV footage from Agami Apparels Limited, a concern of Deco Group, appears to show a male official repeatedly approaching the worker aggressively and striking her sewing machine shortly before she collapsed.

The deceased, Sumi Akter, also known as Mishu, reportedly felt unwell and had sought leave, but was allegedly denied permission to leave work. Her death has raised questions about working conditions and the conduct of factory officials. However, the factory has denied that she requested leave due to illness.

According to the CCTV footage, Sumi was working at her machine at 5:01:09 p.m. on Friday, October 16. A man wearing a panjabi was standing beside her. At 5:01:14 p.m., another official, also wearing a panjabi, approached her aggressively, repeatedly struck her machine and behaved in a confrontational manner. At one point, he took the fabric from her hands and threw it away.

At 5:01:34 p.m., Sumi collapsed onto the factory floor while seated at her machine. The official moved away as female workers from nearby machines rushed to help her. She was placed on a stretcher at 5:04:16 p.m.

Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Sweater Workers Trade Union Centre, said, citing CCTV footage and accounts from the worker’s relatives and colleagues, that the factory was operating despite it being the weekly day off. He said Sumi had been unwell but had reported for duty.

According to Mintu, Sumi went home for lunch and told her son that she was feeling sick and facing heavy pressure at work. She reportedly said she had asked for leave but had not been allowed to leave. Mintu alleged that she was subjected to repeated verbal and physical mistreatment while working and that the factory authorities should be held accountable. He demanded legal action against the factory owner, management and the official involved.

The factory’s human resources executive officer, Hasan, offered a different account. He said Sumi became dizzy and fell on the factory floor shortly before the end of her shift. She was taken to the factory medical centre and then rushed to the Women and Children Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Hasan denied that Sumi had requested leave because she was unwell, saying she had not informed management of any illness. When asked about the official seen confronting Sumi in the CCTV footage, he did not identify the man and later disconnected the call. Attempts to contact Agami Apparels chairman M Shahadat Hossain Kiron by WhatsApp were unsuccessful.

Dispute over removal of the body

Harun-or-Rashid, senior manager (operations) at the Women and Children Hospital, said Sumi was brought to the hospital unconscious and was declared dead after examination. Her husband, Sajjad Hossain, and factory representatives were present. He said her husband initially stated that he had no complaint and wanted to take her body to their village home. The body was subsequently handed over to him and factory representatives after a death certificate was issued.

Harun said several workers later obstructed the removal of the body by ambulance. Sumi’s husband and relatives got out of the vehicle, while factory representatives left with the body. The officer-in-charge of Ashulia Police Station subsequently instructed that the body be taken to the station.

Police later sent the body to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for an autopsy, said Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Tarikul Islam. He said the decision was taken amid differing accounts of the incident and public criticism.

Although the CCTV footage appears to show an official behaving aggressively toward Sumi shortly before her collapse, no case had been filed in connection with her death as of the police statement.

Sumi was the daughter of Bazlar Mia of Khokarhat in Dimla upazila of Rangpur. She lived with her husband and two sons in a rented house in the Kathgara Nayapara area of Ashulia and worked as a sewing operator at Agami Apparels Limited.