Even though one year has already elapsed, there is no fully comprehensive list of the Rana Plaza victims while many of them are awaiting compensation.
Still there is an utter confusion over the total number of missing workers, buried after identification, rescued and injured workers because of lack of a complete report by the government.
According to the Labour Ministry, 180 people were still unaccounted for. But the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) report said it was 88 while Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) put the figure at 379 and Rana Plaza Coordination Cell at 146.
The ministry said 127 people were buried unidentified, while the CPD said it was 27, ActionAid 137 and Rana Plaza Coordination Cell 136.
The CPD revealed the findings in its report titled “One Year after the Rana Plaza Tragedy: Where Do We Stand? The Victims, the Sector and the Value Chain”. The report was released at a programme held at Brac Centre Inn yesterday.
Lawmaker Shirin Akter said: “A list should be posted immediately on the website.” She added: “If there was a trade union in the factory, it was not possible to force the workers to work there.”
Shireen Haq, founder member of Naripokkho, said: “We have noticed lack of coordination in rescuing the victims and publishing a comprehensive report. Are we ready enough to handle another disaster like Rana Plaza?”
CPD’s report said the BGMEA provided help to 3,109 workers’ families and Primark to 3,639 while 909 received one-time support (Tk1-5 lakh) and 41 got long-term support (Tk10-15 lakh) from the government.
Dr KZ Moazzem, additional research director of the CPD said: “The government’s commitment to provide long-term treatment to the victims remained unfulfilled.”
Also, there are around 700 children of victims while only a few received long-term support.
The report said around 676 workers were registered with Enam Medical College and Hospital while 418 with the CRP.
More than 1000 workers have not yet been able to join any work due to various kinds of physical difficulties while only 777 were re-employed in RMG.
Mikail Shiper, secretary of the ministry said: “Around 962 people got compensation from the PM’s Fund. The government gave Tk200,000 to rescue workers, Tk7,500,000 to the injured undergoing treatment in hospitals. We got 291 unidentified bodies of which 206 were sent to DNA testing lab. Tk235,572,000 was distributed from the fund till yesterday.”
Union leaders have asked brands to pay $40m by April 24 to the ILO- managed Rana Plaza Donor Trust Fund while it requires about $73m. Around 248 people said they got compensation from the fund, he added.
After the tragedy, although Accord was established but it was said Accord was not working in favour of workers.
Nazma Akter, president of Awaz Foundation said: “Factories were closed, but workers are not getting wages. Accord is not working in favour of workers’ interest.”
CPD suggested paying workers’ wages after closure of the factories, speeding up legal actions against alleged, paying compensation quickly and publishing a complete list of victims and others.
Rehman Sobhan, chairman of the CPD said: “It’s important to form a standing national commission headed by civil society and government bodies to address the workers’ issues. There should have a helpline so that victims seek help and get solution. Otherwise, victims will become victims.”