OSHE Foundation pays tribute to Rana Plaza victims on the 4th anniversary of this tragedy

April 25, 2017 in Events, Latest News

April 24, 2017: OSHE Bangladesh formed a human chain in front of Rana Plaza, Savar on the 4th anniversary of this tragedy

April 24, 2017: OSHE Bangladesh formed a human chain in front of Rana Plaza, Savar on the 4th anniversary of this tragedy

Monday, April 24 2017: Bangladesh Occupational Safety Health and Environment – OSHE Foundation paid tribute to the victims of the Rana Plaza tragedy on the occasion of 4th anniversary of the deadliest building collapse that shook the world.

Around 100 injured workers who survived and family members of the workers who were killed in this tragedy along with the trade union members and activists led by OSHE Foundation Executive Director A R Chowdhury Repon were present in the site of this tragedy at Savar in the morning of April 24.

OSHE Foundation formed a human chain demanding workers rehabilitation, social protection, alternative working opportunity for injured workers, medical support and legal justice for the victims through a coordinated way. OSHE demanded that ensuring fair compensation, social protection, rehabilitation and justice are still needed for the victims.

Trade union leader China Rahman and members of Rana Plaza Accident Victim’s Rights Network also attended the programme.

Speakers at the human chain urged meaningful action for workers’ rights. They also called for transparency and building safety not only in the RMG sector but also in other informal sectors in Bangladesh.

Later in the afternoon, OSHE Foundation organized a discussion session on the compensation and rehabilitation status of Rana Plaza victims.

OSHE underscored the necessity of alternative employment for workers. At least 80 family members of the victims and injured workers took part in the discussion. They sought alternative working opportunities, medical support for traumatized and injured workers and educational support for their children.

Jebonnahar, one of the survivors of Rana Plaza informed that she has been suffering from back pain and headache. As a result she could not continue her work in the RMG factory. She had to leave her job due to her physical problem coupled with personal trauma.

Another survivor of Rana Plaza Shilpi said she got only Hundred Thousand Taka as compensation. ‘I want suitable working opportunity as I still have pain in my legs. Although I managed a job but was fired later on for not being able to deliver due to my disability.’

Husband of a deceased worker, Sukumar sought special allowance from the government funds as the compensation given to him was not sufficient to look after his three children. Now working as a hairdresser in a barber shop he is trying to go abroad for better livelihoods.

Other injured workers and family members of deceased workers also expressed their painful experience and discontent over the compensation and rehabilitation issues.

Earlier, three children of Rana Plaza victims were given educational support provided by OSHE Foundation. OSHE Executive Director assured that such initiative would be expanded further to the children of the victims facing financial hardship.

More than thousand workers died in Bangladesh on 24 April 2013 where an eight-story commercial building named Rana Plaza collapsed, which hosted Ready Made Garments factory. The search for the dead ended on 13 May 2013 with a death toll of 1,130. Approximately 2,500 injured people were rescued from the building alive. The demands of this tragic accident victims are yet to be properly settled.