Lack of an accurate data on Rana Plaza victims is one of the main reasons why many of the family members of them are still deprived of adequate financial support, the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) researchers said yesterday.
They also pointed out that such lack of concrete data and coordination also affected the commitments given to the survivors and family members of the victims by the government and different organisation.
They made the observations in a dialogue titled “Rana Plaza Tragedy and Beyond: An update on commitments and delivery” organised by the CPD in the BRAC Centre Inn auditorium in the city.
Mukul Begum who lost her husband Mozammel Hossain, a worker of Rana Plaza addressing the dialogue said she had received only her husband’s salary of TK20, 000 after the disaster.
Rathindra Dash who is yet to receive his daughter Nirmala’s body said he only received TK30, 000 through bKash donated by an Irish clothing retailer.
Maryam Begum whose right hand was amputated, however, said she had received more than TK12lakh after the building collapse.
If information sharing between different stakeholders had happened along with a concrete data on the victims it would have been easier to disburse monetary help to the victims, speakers pointed out.
CPD researchers said different organisations came up with different data.
The research was prepared by the CPD researchers K G Moazzem, Adiba Afros and FarzanaSehrin.
According to the findings, MoLE, BGMEA and Action Aid named 3572 victims while the CPD, Bangladesh Institutes of Labour Studies (BILS) and Primark [an Irish clothing retailer] respectively mentioned the number as 3670, 3948 and 3621.
All these organisations, however, put the figure of victims, who were buried unidentified but their identities were unearthed later, at 157.
Speaking on the occasion noted economist RehmanSobhan said an integrated drive was needed to ensure the compensation to the victims and to improve the safety standard in the apparel industry.
“Commendable steps were taken by the government and other quarters respondingto the situation in the aftermath of the collapse of the Rana Plaza.
“It was a great disaster. But it was also proven that the sector had the capacity to turn around,”RehmanSobhan, also the chair of the CPD noted.
Stressing the pressure from international buyers and labour organisations to improve the security standard in factories, BGMEA President MdAtiqul Islam said: “Given the reality it is not possible to meet the criteria proposed by them(buyer and international organisations). Now if the Alliance and Accord tell us to close our factories after inspection all factories have to be shut down.”
The Alliance, a groupand the Accord, a legally binding agreement were founded recently mainly to ensure workers’ safety in Bangladesh. It includes independent safety inspections at factories and public reporting of the results of these inspections.
“This is a country where people do not even follow the simple traffic laws. This is the reality here. I admit we need to improve our safety measurements but despite many limitations and international pressure we have to run our readymade garment factoriesfor the sake of the livelihood of labourers and entrepreneurs and national economy as well,” Atiqul added.
Referring to Atiqul’s comment, labour Leader NazmaAkter said if the garmentfactories are closed it is the workers who have to suffer ultimately as they will lose their jobs.
“Improve the working condition gradually, we [labourers] will be with you [garments owner]but you have to convince us first that you are empathetic with us,” she added.
Distinguished Fellow of the CPD Debapriya Bhattacharya said through this disaster a national unity was formed. People from every sphere helped each other to turn back.
“Mutual accountability was created. All we need is now to utilise such opportunity to bring change in a good way.”
