Relatives of those who died or were injured in the Rana Plaza collapse gathered in front of the tragic site yesterday, demanding their compensations and urged the government to publish the complete list of dead and missing workers as soon as possible.
They also warned that they would go for tough movement if their demands were not met.
Over 200 workers and relatives of the victims demonstrated at the site under the banner of Bangladesh Garments Workers Solidarity.
Many workers complained that though 10 months had passed, they did not get any compensation yet.
Lovely, a victim, said: “Every month we come here but the government is yet to give us any compensation.”
When asked, many survivors said they lost everything and they would demonstrate till they get their actual compensation.
“We did not want to work on that day. We only worked as the owners forced us. Some of us lost their limbs; some have lost capability to work again. So, the government should assume our responsibility,” Arzina, a survivor, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Taslima Akhter, coordinator of Bangladesh Garments Workers Solidarity, said: “The government should take immediate action to publish a list of dead and missing workers and find out their actual relatives and provide them compensation.”
Many relatives claimed that they were the actual relatives of some missing or dead workers, but DNA authorities told them that the DNA sample provided by them did not match with unidentified bodies.
Taslima also said: “A committee has already been formed according to high court order to provide compensation to survivors and victims of Rana Plaza, but the government and the BGMEA are yet to take initiatives to provide compensation.
“As far as we know, the government has got $40 million as compensation from many foreign retailers, but yet the victims are compelled to demonstrate for their legal compensation.”