“I am still waiting with the hope of getting a worker-friendly state and government”
Photo Collected
Garment workers don’t work in factories to make cars. They work hard to somehow make ends meet with their families. The factory owners make cars by exporting the products made by the workers. The wheels of the country’s economy are in motion. Those workers have to protest to get salary and bonus on time. He was shot dead while protesting. We are still waiting with the hope of getting a worker-friendly state and a worker-friendly government.
General Secretary of Bangladesh Garment and Sweater Workers Trade Union Khairul Mamun said these words on the 13th anniversary of the Rana Plaza tragedy in Savar, Dhaka. On April 24, 2013, 1 thousand 138 people were killed when the 9-story building of Rana Plaza collapsed. Many were injured.
Khairul Mamun said, due to the negligence of the factory owner, building owner and various departments of the government, the factory was burnt in the fire, the building collapsed and the workers had to suffer paralysis. Demanding justice, fair compensation, rehabilitation, better treatment, it takes years to agitate. Such systems of the state need to be changed.
Relatives of the workers killed in the incident, injured workers, a women’s delegation of the German labor organization Verdi (Ver.di), leaders and workers of various rights and social organizations and members of the industrial police gathered in front of the incident site at Rana Plaza near the Savar bus stand on Friday morning. They paid their respects with flowers at the temporary altar built in front of the scene in memory of the slain workers. Apart from this, a short rally and discussion meeting was organized there on behalf of some labor organizations. They presented 7 point demands to the government in the rally.
The victims including the leaders and activists of various labor organizations want a worker-friendly government in order to ensure a supportive environment for the workers in the factories and to build a worker-friendly industry.
Arvind Bepari, president of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Garments Sramik Federation, told Prothom Alo that in 2012, there was a fire in the factory of Tazreen Fashions Limited in Ashulia, followed by the collapse of Rana Plaza in 2013. But till now the culprits, who are the killers of the workers, have not been punished. He also said that the previous government could not arrange anything from the trial of the murder of these workers, the financial compensation of the workers, the medical treatment and housing of the workers. This proves that none of them were workers-friendly governments.
President of Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation Rafiqul Islam said, “According to the official, 1 thousand 138 people died in Rana Plaza collapse. But we know that 1 thousand 175 people died. About 2,500 people are currently suffering from paralysis and various physical complications. For 13 years I have been agitating for compensation, proper treatment of injured workers, rehabilitation, punishment of responsible persons. The Awami League government, the interim government—none of them have fulfilled our demands.’
Ferdousi Begum, the mother of Nahidul Islam, who has been missing since the collapse of Rana Plaza, was standing quietly in front of the scene this morning. Even after 13 years of his claim, he still does not know whether his son is alive or dead.
Ferdausi Begum said, Nahidul used to work in the cutting section on the 5th floor. “Lash Pai Naikka, go from door to door. I could not be a boy. I did not find the body. The boy has a child. The government does not want face. Wandering around so far. Let’s see if the boy is dead or dead.
Mother Rasheda Begum was standing in front of the scene holding the picture of Rina Akhter who died in the Rana Plaza collapse. He wants justice and proper compensation for the incident. Rasheda Begum said, ‘We are poor people. Maiata was 14 years old but tall. He used to feed us. At first he was entering a garment shop on the other side of Jorpool in Savar, later when it closed he took the job of an operator at Ether Tex Garments in Rana Plaza. I got the body two days later. His hands were completely crushed, his body was burnt. I want justice for the guilty people and that arrangements should be made to get compensation.
In this morning’s rally, the labor union presented 7-point demands to the government. The same demand was made by lighting candles at the makeshift altar located in front of the site in protest of the Rana Plaza collapse workers killed in the Rana Plaza collapse at the same place last Thursday evening.
The demands are reassessment of the workers killed and injured in five garments located in Rana Plaza and Tazreen Fashions Limited located in Nishchintpur, Ashulia, compensation, rehabilitation and formation of special medical teams to ensure proper treatment; To include the killed and injured workers at 5 Garments and Tazreen Fashions in Rana Plaza under the Employment Injury Scheme jointly run by the Government, the ILO and the Governments of the Netherlands and Germany for garment factory workers in the country; Establishing special tribunals to ensure speedy trial of those responsible for killing workers; In the name of helping the affected workers of Rana Plaza and Tazreen Fashions, the government-BGMEA-various NGOs, Enam Medical College Hospital, CRP and other organizations have received donations from where and for what amount and to whom they have given donations; Confiscating the assets of the owners of Tajreen Fashions Limited, the owners of Rana Plaza and the owners of Rana Plaza Garments and spending their assets on the welfare of the affected workers; Constructing a permanent monument in front of Rana Plaza building and at Jurain Cemetery in memory of the killed workers; Declaring April 24 as Labor Day and a general holiday in the garment industry and ensuring the moral and legal accountability of international brands that used to procure products from these factories.
Source: Prothom Alo Bangla
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