Rana Plaza investigation half way in 3 months
The survivors of Rana Plaza collapse and the families of the workers killed in the incident still are rallying for proper compensation and rehabilitation even after three months inside the collapse.
Many workers are still suffering from trauma and injuries at hospital and houses while the Criminal Investigation Department of police is yet to complete the investigation into the case filed following the biggest factory disaster, in terms of causalities.
The eight-storey Rana Plaza at Savar that housed five garment factories collapsed on April 24 leaving more than 1,132 people, mostly garment workers, killed and more than 2,400 injured.
Thirty-six of the injured workers were maimed. Later two of them died and nine were paralysed.
Different institutions and individuals donated Tk 127.67 crore to the prime minister’s relief and welfare fund between April 29 and July 8 for the compensation and rehabilitation of Rana Plaza victims, the agriculture minister, Matia Chowdhury, told parliament in reply to a question on July 14.
According to the list, no apparel factory owners or the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association has so far donated any money to the fund.
Families of 654 killed workers have so far received compensation ranging from Tk 2 lakh to Tk 3 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s Office in four phases.
The prime minister also handed over compensation to the 24 victims who lost their limbs ranging from Tk 11 lakh to Tk 15 lakh.
Many of the workers are yet to receive any compensation and many were missing.
Most of the survivors and the families of some of the killed and missing workers are starving and being frustrated as no specific announcement over compensation has been made, alleged different labour organisations.
On Tuesday, the affected workers and their families formed a human chain at Savar bus stop in the morning demanding proper compensation.
The human chain organisers said that they would go for tougher agitations if the demand was not met before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Many survivors are suffering from pain after being released while at least 72 injured are still in the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation in Dhaka and the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed in Savar.
About the investigation, the Criminal Investigation Department’s assistant superintend Bijoy Krishna Kar told New Age that they arrested 20 people including the building owner Sohel Rana and some of the factory owners, and other officials concerned.
‘We are in the middle of the investigation,’ he said.
Courtesy of New Age
