Over 100 RMG Workers Fall Ill After Drinking Factory Water

More than 100 garment workers fell ill on Thursday at a factory in Gazipur’s Kaliakair upazila after consuming water supplied within the premises, triggering hospital admissions and an official investigation.

The incident occurred in the morning at Dressman Limited in the Chandra area. Shortly after drinking workplace water, workers reported symptoms including vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, weakness, and breathing difficulties.

As the number of affected workers quickly increased, panic spread across the factory. The workers were later taken to the Kaliakair Upazila Health Complex, along with several private hospitals and clinics, for treatment.

Some workers alleged that the water had an unusual smell and that many became sick soon after drinking it. They also claimed that more than 200 employees experienced dizziness, with some collapsing inside the factory.

Dressman Limited Assistant General Manager (Administration) Atiqul Islam said medical support was arranged immediately. He suggested that workers may have consumed water from a tube well affected by flooding, although no faults were detected in the factory’s water system.

Kaliakair Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Sadia Tasnim Munmun said the hospital received a large influx of patients from mid-morning and was struggling to manage the situation.

Police said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the illness.