Tazreen FashionsThe Tazreen Fashions readymade garment factory in Nischintapur, Ashulia has been abandoned ever since the fire broke out there three years ago. Those injured in the fire and rendered incapable of work, are now suffering in sheer anguishEven after lengthy treatment, many of them cannot even move properly. Their physical and mental sufferings have been worsened with financial woes.Tuesday marked the third anniversary of the Tazreen fire that killed at least 112 people in Savar’s Ashulia. The devastating fire that had engulfed the whole nine-storeyed building on 24 December, 2012, also left several hundreds injured.Many workers have become incapable of working. There is no accurate count of such incapacitated workers.The home ministry submitted a report before the High Court on 27 July, 2013 where it stated that at least 141 workers who were severely affected have undergone treatment in different hospitals. This correspondent recently visited the victims in Nischintapur.According to Joly Talukdar, joint secretary of the Garment Workers Trade Union Centre, the number of Tazreen workers incapable of working is 80 to 90 most of who have gone home to their villages, leaving Nischintapur.The owner of the factory, foreign buyers and particularly the government are responsible of these people. We are in constant contact with some 20-25 of them.”Garments Sramik Oikya Forum leader Shahidul Islam thinks the number of incapacitated Tazreen workers is at least 100. At least 40 of them had more than one broken bone injuries“They deserve lifetime compensation (around Tk 4.8 million),” he said.Visiting Tazreen factory in Nischintapur on Monday, this correspondent found the abandoned building locked and then went to meet a Tazreen victim there.Mirazul Islam, 29, now runs a tea stall near Tazreen factory. He had jumped from the factory’s third floor when the building caught fire. Mirazul finds it difficult to work like others as he can hardly move one of his hands.Rehana Begum, 23, badly injured her left leg in her attempt to escape the fire by jumping from the building.After the fire, she received a Tk 1.5 lakh and had to spend the entire amount on treatment. Her wounds have not healed properly. It is impossible for her to resume work and she struggles to run her family, let alone continue treatment.Words cannot describe the suffering of the disabled. I cannot express how terrible my life is. I haven’t died and yet I can hardly live properly,” said Rehana on Monday at her sister’s house in Nischintapur.Unable to walk properly, another Tazreen victim Solaiman, 28, is now living a life of misery in his sister’s house.Mursheda Begum, 27, said, “I cannot make others understand how painful my life is. I can’t even wash clothes now.”Bangladesh Center for Workers Solidarity executive director Kalpona Akter told Prothom Alo that only Lian Fang and C&A Fashions, among the buyers, compensated the injured Tazreen fire victims. However, brands like Walmart, Sears, Disney, Kick, MJ, Sofi, Edinburgh Woolen Milla have not spent a single penny for the compensation of Tazreen victims.
