Relatives of the Rana Plaza victims and members of various social and workers’ bodies gather at the collapsed building site in Savar yesterday on the second anniversary of the tragedy that left at least 1,129 people dead. Related picture on page 2. Independent PhotoMorium Akter, wife of missing victim Raja Miah in Rana Plaza collapse incident, the world largest industrial disaster, were crying inconsolably beside the debris on the second anniversary of the tragedy. And, her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter Rani Akter was completely silent seeing her beloved mother crying. When The Independent correspondent tried to talk to her about her missing husband, she became even more emotional to recall her husband Raja. Raja, hailing from Zadutokhani village under Gaibandha district, was working at a readymade garment factory located on the fourth floor of Rana Plaza. Morium also worked with him, but she gave up her job before the birth of her baby. Recalling her last conversation with her husband around 7:30am on April 24 in 2013, she said, “On hearing the news of cracks surfacing in Rana Plaza the day before it collapsed, I requested my husband not to go to for work before the cracks are repaired.” Raja had also decided not to go but suddenly he received a phone call and he left for work. “I have to going because if I become absent from work, the salary of the month would be deducted,” Morium recalled her husband as saying. “After the birth of our daughter, he had become very economical due to the increasing cost incurring on the upbringing of our child…he even gave up smoking. He always told me that from now, we shall save money for Rani, so that we do not face difficulty at the time of her marriage, he would say.” The two dreamt for good education of their daughter, so that she does have to work as a garment worker in future. “But all our dreams perished under the Rana Plaza,” she said with a sob. Describing her tireless search for the body of Raja Miah, she said, “His family members gave the DNA samples several times, but they are yet to identify the body.” ‘‘Though there is no chance of getting his body, I came to the devastated Rana Plaza only to get a feel of being around my deceased husband,” she could barely utter. About her present life, she said, “Currently I am running a small tailoring shop at my house. I cannot join any job due to my little baby.” Similar is the tale of many other kin of the collapse victim. Rabia Begum, daughter of Abdur Rahman, hailing from Islampur Upazila in Jamalpur district, has also been missing. Her mother, Tomiron Begum, also came to the collapse site. Halima Akter, mother of missing victim Shilpi Akter, hailing from Doulotpur Upazila in Manikganj, came along with Arman Hossain and Lukcy Akter, two orphan children of the deceased RMG worker. Nuron Nahar and her husband Amir Ali came remembering their beloved missing daughter Farza Akter. Bithi Khatun, daughter of Abdul Bari, hailing from Vangamour village under Sadullahpur Upazila in Gaibandha district is also missing to date. Bari claimed that he neither got her body nor get any financial assistance from the government and voluntary organisations. “But I am not unhappy for that…I just want to identify the body of my beloved daughter Bithi, for whom my family has been waiting for two years.” Her mother Anjuara Begum also got bed-ridden to hear the tragic death of their young daughter, he said. Sajeda Begum, mother of Khaleda Akter, another victim, was seen madly crying holding in her hand a photo of hers. ‘‘Give me my daughter, I don’t need your help…I just want to wash and bury my daughter with my hands,” said Sajeda Begum, hailing from Gangarampur village of Muksudpur Upazila Gopalganj district, who is looking for her daughter for two years. Khaleda was working in Phantom Apparels on the third floor. “I gave DNA samples several times for the test, but my daughter remains untraced,” she lamented. As a result, she has not yet received any assistance as the kin of a Rana Plaza victim. Like her, Meheran Begum, mother of missing victim Babu Mia, came from Nagarpur Upazila in Tangail. “Whenever I hear the news of finding any skeletons, I cry thinking it is the remains of my beloved son,” she said while crying. All of them sobbed inconsolably, unable to speak. They alleged that as they are relatives of the missing victims, they are yet to get proper compensation. Meanwhile, after placing floral wreaths to pay homage to the victims, various labour organisations including Garment Workers Trade Union Centre, Garment Workers Federation, Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Federation, and Garment Sromik Oikyo Forum reiterated their demand for immediate and adequate compensation to the Rana Plaza victims. Left-leaning political organisations, including Naya Gonotantrik Gonomorcha, Jatiyo Mukti Council, Jatiyo Gonotantrik Gonomancha and Jatiyo Gonofront, also placed wreaths there. They also demanded punishment to the persons responsible for the deadliest building collapse. They brought different placards and banners mentioning the demands to mark April 24 as “RMG Genocide Day”. They also held protest rallies and human chains demanding death penalty to all those responsible, including the building owner and ruling party leader Sohel Rana. Local worker leaders told this correspondent that people are still finding skulls and bones in the debris. While visiting the collapsed sites, The Independent found that land grabbers have raised their ugly heads again and are trying to grab the land, as the tin fence put up by the Dhaka District administration was not seen there. Even the signboard ordered by the court stands removed. As police set up camps to oversee the site was withdrawn, the area became a safe zone for the criminals, especially the drug users and sex workers. The tragedy occurred on April 24, 2013, leaving a total of 1,135 persons dead and another 1,524 injured. Of them, 844 were critically injured, while 291 bodies could not be identified, claims labour bodies. UNB adds: The European Union (EU) and the United States (US) in a joint statement yesterday said they will continue to work together with Bangladesh for ensuring the economic growth and sustainable development of Bangladesh and go hand-in-hand with efforts to improve workers’ safety and rights as well. “Our commitment to Bangladesh is strong and enduring,” said the joint statement, issued on the 2nd anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh. US Secretary of State John Kerry; High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini; US Secretary of Labor Thomas E Perez; EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Marianne Thyssen; US Trade Representative Michael Froman; EU Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström; US Agency for International Development Acting Administrator Alfonso E Lenhardt; and EU Commissioner in charge of International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica signed the statement. They urge the government to formulate the rules under the Bangladesh Labour Act 2013 without further delays. “Similarly, we call upon the government of Bangladesh to enact legislation on economic processing zones that ensures workers inside the zones enjoy rights commensurate with those outside the zones,” said the statement. Also of pressing concern, the government should respond swiftly to cases of unfair labour practices, violence, and harassment against trade unions and workers’ representatives, it said. “We note that advances in health, safety, and labour rights will remain fragile and impermanent if workers are unable to exercise those rights and organize to represent their interests and concerns,” it said. Appreciating the progress made so far, the statement, however, said significant work remains to be done under the Sustainability Compact to realize its goals. “In particular, we encourage and support the government of Bangladesh’ s efforts to continue reforming its labor laws, in close consultations with the ILO, complete the safety inspections of all RMG factories and continue to register unions in a timely and transparent way,” it said. On the aftermath of the Rana Plaza collapse, the European Union, the United States and the International Labor Organization (ILO) came up with assistance to Bangladesh to undertake a series of significant commitments to foster respect for fundamental labour rights and ensure workers’ safety and health in the garment sector. The partners announced the Sustainability Compact for Bangladesh – a statement of principles and commitments designed to bring about a lasting transformation in the sector. The tragic collapse of the Rana Plaza building claimed over 1,140 lives and injured many more.
