A total of $23.5 million funds has so far been deposited with the Rana Plaza Trust Fund till this month, two years after the worst industrial tragedy, though it was targeted to collect $30 million under the fund, which has slowed down the compensation process. Of the amount, around $14 million have been disbursed among the victims of the Rana Plaza collapse as of April 24 last, according to information. Sources said that 29 retailers whose garment factories were housed at Rana Plaza came forward with other monitoring bodies to help the victims overcome the losses they incurred due to the disaster. Though representatives of the Rana Plaza Trust Fund are hopeful of collecting influx of fund immediately, the labour leaders said delay in contributing to the Trust Fund reflects apathy of the retailers in this regard. In September 2013, representatives from the government, the garment industry, both local and international trade unions and non-governmental organisations came together to form the Rana Plaza Coordination Committee. With the UN agency International Labour Organisation (ILO) acting as a neutral chair, its purpose was to develop a comprehensive and independent process that would deliver support to the victims, their families and dependants in a predictable manner consistent with international labour standards. This process was agreed in late 2013, and established through an ‘arrangement.’ The arrangement has established a claims process, which will be implemented by a range of local organisations and international experts, who will support victims, their families and their dependants to submit claims, assess the level of payments to be provided to each beneficiary, undertake medical assessments and provide follow-up support where needed. These payments will be funded through the Rana Plaza Donors Trust Fund which is open to contributions from any organisation, company or individuals wishing to support the delivery of financial and medical support to the Rana Plaza victims’ families. But it was learnt that many major retailers are yet to contribute to the funds resulting in delay in the compensation process. The retailers those contributed to the fund include Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, Auchan, Benetton Group, Bonmarché, C&A Foundation, Camaïeu, Debenhams, El Corte Inglés, Everlane, G. Güldenpfennig GmbH and H&M Conscious Foundation. The delay of retailers in contributing to the Rana Plaza Trust Fund has slowed down the compensation process, said Sirajul Islam Rony, President of Bangladesh National Garment Workers League. The buyers are obliged to contribute to the fund, but it is their moral obligation to look after the workers of the sector, he opined. We are hopeful of raising the fund to its desired level immediately, said Shahidullah Azim, member of Rana Plaza Trust Fund on behalf of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association. He said that many major retailers will join the platform shortly to help the victims. Mentionable, the compensation process is following the 121 convention of ILO. The amount of funds, committed in written pledges, is yet to be received is US $4.56m.
Source: https://www.daily-sun.com/print/business/2015/04/30/500687
