On April 19, the Dhaka Tribune celebrated the 13th anniversary of its first circulation.
Just five days after the paper’s 2013 debut, its young team of journalists faced the greatest challenge of their careers: Covering the Rana Plaza collapse.
Occurring on this very day 13 years ago, the disaster unfolded as a profound human tragedy.
At least 1,135 lives were lost and hundreds more suffered life-altering injuries when the poorly constructed building in Savar came down -- widely regarded as the second-worst industrial disaster in modern history, surpassed only by the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy in India.
Rana Plaza was an eight-story commercial complex built on a filled-in pond. It housed five garment factories, a bank, and several shops. Though the structure was originally permitted for fewer floors, three additional levels were added illegally to accommodate the factories.
When the building collapsed on April 24, 2013, hundreds of garment workers were buried beneath mounds of concrete rubble.
Dhaka Tribune journalists, alongside peers from the global press, spent weeks covering the mammoth rescue operation. Those who witnessed firsthand the cries of families losing loved ones, the agony of the injured, and the grueling wait for the missing -- dead or alive -- have never forgotten that nightmare.
The hollowed eyes of the heartbroken still haunt those who joined the arduous rescue efforts, those who provided urgent medical aid, and the journalists who covered this tragedy day in and day out to keep the world informed.
Rana Plaza remains the worst industrial disaster in Bangladesh’s history and the deadliest accident in the global garment industry.
The building was a death trap: Illegally extended by several floors, built with substandard materials, and designed for light shops and offices rather than the vibration of heavy industrial machinery.
Large structural cracks were discovered the day before the collapse. While the shops and a bank on the lower floors shuttered immediately, factory workers were allegedly threatened with the loss of a month’s pay if they did not return to work the next morning.
One image remains vivid and fresh in my memory: A silver anklet dangling from the foot of a seamstress, a reflection of her simple, low-budget attempts at grooming.
Hers was one of the numerous bodies recovered from the ruins. Amidst the gray concrete debris, that bright anklet stood as a haunting symbol of both grief and cruelty.
Bangladesh, a global apparel powerhouse, has come a long way since those dark days. In its pursuit of compliance and safety, the country has solidified its protocols and diversified its ready-made garment (RMG) exports.
Before Rana Plaza, Bangladesh had only three LEED-certified garment factories. It boasts 280 now -- the highest number in the world. 52 of the world’s top 100 highest-scoring LEED-rated factories are now located here.
Economically, the growth is undeniable. Export earnings have nearly doubled over the last decade, rising from $21.52 billion in the 2012-13 fiscal to $39.35 billion in 2024-25.
But has Bangladesh managed to repay the blood debt of the hundreds of workers whose lives were cut short, or the hundreds more whose livelihoods were shattered? The answer is a distressing NO.
Rana Plaza is often cited as a turning point for global supply chain safety, but when it comes to delivering justice to the victims and their families, we have failed miserably.
Today, as we recall the dead on the 13th anniversary of the tragedy, not a single one of the 20-odd cases filed after the collapse has been concluded. After 13 long years, many cases are either "stayed" or proceeding at a snail’s pace. No one knows how many more years it will take to see a verdict.
Last year, the then-Labour Ministry Secretary under Professor Yunus’s transitional government told journalists that while justice had been delayed for 12 years, most cases would be disposed of before the next anniversary -- meaning today.
Yet, reality tells a different story.
Testimonies of only a small minority of witnesses in one of the prime cases have been completed. Other cases have barely moved. No accused party, other than the building owner, is currently in prison.
For survivors like Nasima Begum, time simply ran out. Having miraculously survived the collapse 13 years ago, she waited over a decade for justice.
Tragically, she lost her life last month when a bus she was boarding during the Eid festival sank into the Padma River at the Daulatdia ferry terminal. She died waiting for a day in court that never came.
While RMG entrepreneurs have largely succeeded in improving compliance and driving export growth, a critical question remains – isn’t it also incumbent upon the sector to ensure justice for the thousands of Rana Plaza victims and their families?
Today should be a day of reflection for the industry leaders on their role in pressuring the government machinery to expedite legal proceedings, penalize the perpetrators, and ensure fair compensation is paid.
Industry leaders have long proven their effectiveness in securing enhanced financial incentives and state support. One wonders if they might now apply that same political capital to seek justice and redress for those who have fallen, honouring their sacrifice with the same urgency they afford to economic interests.
Reaz Ahmad is Editor, Dhaka Tribune.