Bangladesh mourns, calls factory fire 'act of sabotage'

DHAKA/CHICAGO (REUTERS) - Bangladesh said a fire that killed 111 textile workers was sabotage, as protesters took to the streets for a second day on Tuesday and garment factories across the world's second-biggest clothes exporter stopped work to mourn.

Meanwhile two other incidents this week, neither of which caused injuries, had local manufacturing leaders scrambling to assess whether their industry was under attack.

Saturday's fire has put a spotlight on global retailers that source clothes from Bangladesh, where the cost of labour is low - as little as US$37 (S$46) a month for some workers - and rights groups have called on firms to sign up to a fire safety program.

United States (US) retailer Sears Holdings Corp said its clothing was not meant to be made in that textile factory, and was investigating reports that one of its brands had been found in the charred debris. Other brands, such as Esprit Holdings Ltd , continued to deny any connection and distanced themselves from the disaster.