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Historic Draft and Top Picks
The 2026 WNBA Draft unfolded at The Shed at Hudson Yards in New York City.
“The Dallas Wings were in the spotlight with the first pick”
UCLA made history with six players selected, five in the first round.
The Dallas Wings selected UConn guard Azzi Fudd at No. 1, reuniting her with Paige Bueckers.
The Minnesota Lynx took TCU guard Olivia Miles at No. 2.
The Seattle Storm selected Spanish center Awa Fam at No. 3.
The Washington Mystics and Chicago Sky took UCLA stars Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez at No. 4 and No. 5.
Locked Exits and Divergent Death Toll
The Rahman Textile factory fire erupted on April 6, 2024, killing garment workers trapped inside after emergency exits were welded shut.
Police detained factory owner Faisal Rahman, with Narayanganj District Police Superintendent Rashid Khan confirming that exits were not usable.
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Death toll estimates diverged sharply: the Bangladeshi government and Reuters placed the figure at 28, the Dhaka Tribune and Guardian at 33, while Al Jazeera counted at least 41.
Fire service chief Mahmud Iqbal said rescue crews found most of the victims near the stairwells on the third and fourth floors.
Witnesses told the BBC that the factory's main exit was locked when the fire broke out.
Survivors and the Strike Call
Survivors described scenes of workers pounding on locked metal doors as smoke filled the stairwells.
“We could hear them screaming but we could not reach them”
Nasrin Begum escaped by jumping from a second-floor window and said they could hear screams but could not reach them.
The Bangladesh Garment Workers' Federation called a nationwide strike.
Federation president Kalpona Akter said Rahman Textile had been cited for fire safety violations in 2024 but had continued operating.
Labour Minister Tahmina Akhter pledged an immediate government investigation.
Firefighter Mahmud Iqbal said 47 people had been injured, including 12 in critical condition.
Supply Chain Under Scrutiny
Rahman Textile produced clothing for several European fashion brands, including Hessen and BrandBox.
Both companies said they were deeply saddened and would review their Bangladesh operations.
Hessen's compliance team had audited the factory in March.
Rahman Textile owner Faisal Rahman issued a statement claiming the factory had passed its most recent safety inspection in January.
Clean Clothes Campaign spokesperson Ineke Zeldenrust said the audit system was fundamentally broken.
Rahman was being questioned about allegations that the factory's emergency exits had been welded shut to prevent worker theft.