A total of 182 BGMEA members are yet to come up with the donation to the BGMEA relief and disaster management fund for the rehabilitation of the families of Rana Plaza victims and the injured workers despite their commitment to contribute the fund.
Earlier, a total of 2,043 BGMEA members had committed to donate minimum Tk 25,000 each to the fund after the tragic incident of Rana Plaza on April 24 last year in which about 1,135 garment workers were killed.
“Of the total factories, we are yet to receive any donation from 182 factories, an office bearer of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, preferring anonymity, told The New Nation on Saturday.
He added, BGMEA recently published a circular asking the owners of these factories to deposit the minimum donation, they had committed, to the fund as early as possible. But, they did not respond to our request, he added.
When asked, he said, what can we do is to request them but can’t forced them to donate.
While talking to The New Nation, BGMEA second vice president SM Mannan Kochi said, the association has already raised Tk 14.82 crore fund taking donation from the rest of 1,861 factories.
“These factories have also given commitment to contribute to the disaster management fund of BGMEA,” he added.
The BGMEA has so far disbursed Tk 7.60 crore as salaries among the workers rescued from the disaster. It also spent Tk 3.8 crore for the treatment of injured workers, in addition to donation of Tk 2.0 crore to the Prime Minister’s relief fund, he added.
Riaz Bin Manhood, another vice-president of BGMEA said, the association also spent Tk 96 lakh for the rescue and rehabilitation of the workers while Tk 35,00 each to 12 pregnant workers of Rana Plaza for their delivery and treatment purposes.
Till the date, some 788 families were compensated from the Prime Minister’s Office, with each family receiving either of Tk 5 lakh, Tk 10 lakh or 15 lakh.
Moreover, a total of 100 workers received Tk 1.0 crore from group insurance of the five garment factories housed in Rana Plaza.
