Government does not have clear data about the Rana Plaza victims even in two years since the accident, said speakers at a roundtable yesterday. “It was government’s responsibility to prepare statistics over the victims that how many workers were injured, how many were dead and how many remained unidentified,” said Kazi Saifuddin Ahmed, labour adviser of Bangladesh Employers Federation. He blamed the government for “chaos over compensation issue” that there were confusions that who have been compensated and who have not been. The roundtable discussion on “Present Situation of Rana Plaza Victims, Compensation and Rehabilitation” was organised by Bagladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE) in the capital. In which criteria the amount of compensation is being set and who will be entitled to get how much that is not clear to the affected workers and their families, he said. He said, mass mismanagement has created which resulted in some workers getting compensation though they do not deserve it on the other hand who are entitled but not getting following their right. He urged the government to prepare a clear data over the workers who have been compensated and how much through a study. Some affected victims of Rana Plza and their families were present at the function and shared their views over the compensation. Of the victims Shafiqul Islam who remained stuck up in the collapsed building one day said he was compensated only Tk60,000 in two phases in last two years. He could not join in work as he physical condition does not permit to heavy weight work. He, however, still bearing lesion in his body but could not continue the treatment due to not have affordability. He raised question that in which criteria he has been entitled to get the poor compensation that was even to enough for his treatment. On the other hand, Mehera Begum who lost her son Babu Miah in the Rana Plaza disaster received compensation of only Tk50,000 in two years. She, however, got a letter from Rana Plaza claims administration where she has been entitled to get Tk4 lakh. But still she did not get the compensation amount. The trade union leaders urged to form a committee a tri-partial committee consisting minimum one members on behalf of workers, owners and government to prepare a clear data over the compensation. Kazi Reazaul Haque, a full-time member of National Human Rights Commission, was present as the chief guest.
