Rana Plaza victims and their family members are still suffering from various kinds of physical and mental problems despite several initiatives taken to improve their living conditions over the last two years, say findings of a leading local think tank yesterday. Besides, the amount of financial support received by the victims and their families so far is insufficient to meet their needs, although they were promised complete financial support to cover their monthly expenses as well as medical expenses for their treatment. The findings were disclosed at a dialogue on “Rana Plaza Tragedy: Two Years After” arranged by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) at the city’s BRAC Centre Inn to mark the second anniversary of the collapse of the Rana Plaza building that housed garment factories in which more than 1,100 people died. The victims and their families have spent a significant amount of money for the treatment of their conditions over the years although many of them were constrained by inadequate financial capacities, according to the fourth monitoring report of CPD presented by additional research director Khondaker Golam Moazzem at the function. The monitoring report was prepared by taking telephone interviews this month of a selected number of victims and their family members to evaluate the current state of their physical condition, treatment for their injuries and the source of finance for their current state of their employment and income, and the status of financial support. The report said most of the victims have children who require essential services like education, which is difficult to provide them from their limited income. They are not at the same level compared to their condition prior to the collapse of Rana Plaza, it said. “The living condition is very poor for the severely injured workers, and for families whose members were deceased but are yet to be identified. Among the injured workers, a few are employed locally in off-farm jobs after receiving training under various initiatives founded by different organizations.” However, it said in most cases, their income is below what they received earlier. They are unemployed due to their poor physical condition and inability to engage in daily work. At the function, victim and traumatised garment worker, Jesmin, described her ordeals since the Rana Plaza tragedy with choking voice. “I was under the rubble for two days. My backbone has completely broken. I got back my sense at the CMH Hospital, Savar, after six days into the incident. After six months, I was released from the hospital.” She said, “Now, I cannot work. High buildings still scar me. I got Tk50,000 from BILLS and Tk10,000 from Prime Minister’s fund over the last two years.” After the death of her husband in 2010, Jesmin had to join the garment work. “Still, I have to take medicine worth Tk3,000-Tk4,000 per month. But the money what I received is not enough. Days are going somehow.” Monowara Begum’s husband died at the Rana Plaza incident. She said, “I got Tk20,000 for burial of my husband. “After that, I got nothing. The life is so hard…the future is dark.” The CPD report said during the second year, no additional missing workers have been identified through the use of DNA test or through verification of documents submitted by victims’ family members. However, it said during the second year, considerable progress has been made in the areas, including commitment of the global clothing retailers’ towards providing long-term support to the victims. Labour and Employment Secretary Mikail Shipar, former president of BGMEA Abdus Salam Murshedy, BGMEA Vice-President Md Shahidullah Azim, Assistant Executive Director of BILS Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, President of Sommilito Garments and Dorji Sromik League Roy Ramesh Chandra and CPD distinguished fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, among others, spoke at the programme.
