HOPE WEARING THIN

Death Toll Rises in Bangladesh

Nearly 400 are dead after building collapse.

The death toll in Wednesday’s Bangladesh factory collapse has risen to nearly 400, as the chances of discovering more survivors continues to decrease. The latest official toll is 381 dead, most of them believed to be female garment workers, as a fire Sunday night further diminished the likelihood that more survivors would turn up. The building’s owner, who seems to have been trying to flee to India immediately after the collapse, was discovered by police and arrested Sunday, along with four factory bosses and two engineers. Officials say the factory, where 3,000 workers, mostly young women, make clothing for Western brands, was structurally unsafe, built on swamp land without proper permits.