A devastating fire broke out at a garment factory and adjacent chemical warehouse in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Tuesday, claiming the lives of at least 16 people, according to the Fire Service and Civil Defense department. The blaze, which originated on the third floor of a seven-story building in the Mirpur area, left several others injured. Fire official Talha bin Jashim confirmed that rescue teams have recovered multiple bodies, and efforts to control the fire and complete the rescue operation continued into the evening. Bangladesh, the world’s second-largest garment exporter after China, employs approximately 4 million workers in this sector, predominantly women. The industry, which generates around $40 billion annually from exports to the United States and Europe, has a troubled history of industrial accidents and fires, often attributed to inadequate safety monitoring and violations of building codes. This incident underscores the urgent need for stricter safety regulations and enforcement in the country’s garment sector.