Rana Plaza Trust Fund received $3 million in contribution yesterday from retailers and different organisations, taking the total fund to $27 million.The fund came as the second anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy was observed, Mojtaba Kazazi, executive commissioner of the Rana Plaza Claims Administration (RPCA), said at a media briefing in Dhaka.“We are now only $3 million short of the $30 million trust fund target. I hope we will receive the remaining fund soon,” Kazazi said.He however, could not immediately disclose names of the retailers and brands which paid to the fund yesterday.The building collapse claimed at least 1,135 lives, and injured twice the number, many of them for life.The officials of RPCA, the temporary office for determining and disbursement of the victims’ compensations, said they have settled nearly 2,839 out of 2,871 claims from the $27 million that includes $2.4 million donations from the Prime Minister’s Office. The claims administration office has disbursed $9.85 million to the victims so far.The remaining 32 claims plus approximately 20-30 additional deceased claims that may still be filed will be included in the final instalment.After the Rana Plaza collapse, Primark paid $7 million in compensation to about 600 workers of its supplier New Wave Bottom separately, a garment factory that was housed on the fifth floor of the building.Although the $7 million contribution by the Primark was calculated in the $27 million trust fund, the nearly 600 workers were not as the British retailer paid them separately.Since the workers of New Wave Bottoms received separate funds, they are not entitled to claims from the main fund.“We have disbursed money through more than 5,000 banks accounts as one victim has more than two or three claimants,” Kazazi said.The amount of compensation has been fixed considering the gravity of the injuries of the victims, said Sultana Kamal, another commissioner of the RPCA.“We mainly focused on the victims’ children and their needs while determining appropriate compensations,” said former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque, who is also the national commissioner of the RPCA.
Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/rana-plaza-trust-gets-3m-more-79283
