Staff Reporter :
Hundreds of garment workers on Monday reiterated their demand for justice to the victims of the Rana Plaza tragedy, one of the world’s worst industrial disaster.
The incident in 2013 claimed at least 1130 lives.
Some victims, who lost limbs when the nine-storey building came crashing down four years ago, placed floral wreaths at the Shaheed Bedi, the scythe and hammer sculpture that reminds of workers’ rights, at the collapse site at Savar and wept as they remembered the dead.
Family members of the deceased, including some whose bodies were never found, recited verses of the Quran and prayed after gathering there from early morning.
Organising Secretary of Bangladesh Garments Workers Trade Union Kendra Khairul Mamun Mintu said, “Four years
have already passed but the cries for justice are still unheard. Even the police did not allow us to hold a rally on the anniversary day. But our struggle will continue.”
In observance of the day, the survivors tried to hold a rally but the police intercepted.
Police also allegedly interrupted the attempts to lay floral wreaths at the site. “Local lawmaker Md Enamur Rahman had given us permission on Sunday to make a stage for a rally at the site,” Mintu said.
Additional policemen were deployed in the area with a water cannon. Savar’s Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Mahbubur Rahman claimed that they did not see any stage on the spot.
He said police had only asked the people “not to create any chaos” and move away as the Dhaka-Aricha Highway is an important road.
“We did not have other intentions,” he clarified, “We have allowed them to place wreaths in remembrance of the victims.”
When asked about the water cannon, he claimed it was part of a “regular deployment.” Rana Plaza caved in on April 24, 2013 with an unknown number of people, mostly RMG workers, inside. More than 1,100 people were confirmed dead with hundreds of others suffering severe injuries.
Hundreds of garment workers on Monday reiterated their demand for justice to the victims of the Rana Plaza tragedy, one of the world’s worst industrial disaster.
The incident in 2013 claimed at least 1130 lives.
Some victims, who lost limbs when the nine-storey building came crashing down four years ago, placed floral wreaths at the Shaheed Bedi, the scythe and hammer sculpture that reminds of workers’ rights, at the collapse site at Savar and wept as they remembered the dead.
Family members of the deceased, including some whose bodies were never found, recited verses of the Quran and prayed after gathering there from early morning.
Organising Secretary of Bangladesh Garments Workers Trade Union Kendra Khairul Mamun Mintu said, “Four years
have already passed but the cries for justice are still unheard. Even the police did not allow us to hold a rally on the anniversary day. But our struggle will continue.”
In observance of the day, the survivors tried to hold a rally but the police intercepted.
Police also allegedly interrupted the attempts to lay floral wreaths at the site. “Local lawmaker Md Enamur Rahman had given us permission on Sunday to make a stage for a rally at the site,” Mintu said.
Additional policemen were deployed in the area with a water cannon. Savar’s Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Mahbubur Rahman claimed that they did not see any stage on the spot.
He said police had only asked the people “not to create any chaos” and move away as the Dhaka-Aricha Highway is an important road.
“We did not have other intentions,” he clarified, “We have allowed them to place wreaths in remembrance of the victims.”
When asked about the water cannon, he claimed it was part of a “regular deployment.” Rana Plaza caved in on April 24, 2013 with an unknown number of people, mostly RMG workers, inside. More than 1,100 people were confirmed dead with hundreds of others suffering severe injuries.
