Staff Reporter :
Speakers at a discussion in Dhaka on Sunday said the families of the deceased and the injured workers are yet to get just compensations even after four years of Rana Plaza tragedy.
They said even the recommendations forwarded by the government’s committee for compensation in this regard could not be implemented for certain ‘legal tangles’. In this situation alternative and pragmatic plans should be taken for ensuring just compensations for the victims of all industrial accidents including the Rana Plaza tragedy, they suggested.
BRAC organised the discussion session at the BRAC Centre in the city to put forward an outline and recommendations for preparing such a policy. The Rana Plaza tragedy marks its 4th anniversary today.
Chaired by BRAC Vice Chairperson Dr Ahmed Mushtaque Raja Chowdhury, the discussion was also addressed by Joint Secretary for Labour and Employment Ministry Khondoker Mostan Hossain, Joint Secretary and Additional Inspector General for Factory and Organisation Inspection Md Anwar Ullah and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) Executive Director Barrister Sarah Hossain.
BRAC Disaster Management and Climate Change Programme Director Gawher Nayeem Wahra moderated the discussion.
Professor of Economics at the Dhaka University MM Akash and senior claims observer of Rana Plaza Claims Administration Barrister Mohammd Kawser presented the keynote speeches.
The Rana Plaza collapse was not merely an ‘accident’ but a ‘manmade accident’, MM Akash said.
“An influential coterie is creating pressure on the government not to pay heed to the compensation for the victims. We have doubt if the government can resist their pressure. Again, it is the reality of Bangladesh and we need to see how long it would take for the judiciary to give its final verdict, the economist further said.
He also stressed that compensation policies must cover not only garments sector but other sectors, too.
Khondoker Mostan Hossain said the Rana Plaza incident is not only about a negative impact on the readymade garment export but it is involved with our national image also. For this the government is focusing particularly on proper implementation of the existing Labour Act 2006. As part of that effort, the government has closed down 39 factory buildings.’
Having agreed with the workers’ rights to just compensations, Dr Ahmed Mushtaque Raja Chowdhury said, ‘We hope to continue the assistance BRAC has provided to the victims who have become handicapped and injured in the Savar tragedy.’
On 24 April 2013, Rana Plaza, a multi-storeyed building having a number of readymade garment factoring collapsed, claiming at least 1134 lives and injuring over 2,000 workers.
Following the collapse, BRAC took up rehabilitation activities, under which 160 seriously injured victims received medical treatment and assistance, 743 victims received psychosocial counselling, 19 victims who lost limbs in the incident received artificial limbs and physiotherapy, and 850 people received promotional training to take up livelihood activities. Additionally, monthly savings funds have been transferred to 330 victims. Of them, 136 families received Tk 65 thousand and 194 received Tk 1 lakh through bank transfer.
