The government has been urged to enact a law to ensure proper compensation for the victims of RMG factory disasters.
Bangladesh Textile-Garment Workers Federation made the call from a discussion on effective investigation into RMG factory disaster and formulation of laws on workplace safety they organised at the National Press Club in Dhaka yesterday.
Speakers stressed on setting a compensation standard and urged the RMG workers’ leaders to take initiatives to materialise their demands and rights.
They made the remarks against the backdrop of RMG factory disasters including Rana Plaza collapse and Tazreen Fashions fire that killed thousands.
Dhaka University Prof MM Akash said: “If the issue of workers compensation is resolved through tribunal, it will have an acceptance.”
He also urged the justice who issued suo moto rules to set a compensation standard to resolve the issue as the committee to set the standard had already placed the report.
Earlier on April 30, the High Court issued an order to form the committee to fix adequate compensation for the victims of Rana Plaza collapse that killed over 1,100 workers and injured over 2,500.
Akash, who teaches economics at Dhaka University and head of the committee, submitted the report to a high-powered committee headed by the ninth infantry division GOC Major General Chowdhury Hasan Suhrawardy.
He said the court is yet to finalise the compensation package as per the committee recommendation. It is not true that the process is not done, he added.
“We have placed the report, recommending Tk15 lakh for the dead and Tk10 lakh for the injured workers.”
Akash also blamed the BGMEA authorities for delay in finalising the recommendation as they were putting note of decent and were unwilling to settle the issue through court.
The BGMEA argued that it would be a standard for future, he said, adding that it is not true because this calculation is only for Rana Plaza victims.
“Coordination among the RMG workers’ federation is mostly needed as nothing is possible without coordination,” said eminent layer Dr Kamal Hosaain in his address as the chief guest.
The workers should unite and place their demands jointly, he said, adding that the workers should realise their demands using the opportunity of Rana Plaza incident.
Kamal assured the workers of providing all-out cooperation for legal fight.
Nagorik Oikko Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the government did not concentrate on the enactment of compensation rule.
The government received fund from different sources but it did not compensate RMG workers adequately, Rahman said, calling upon the government and the factory owners to resolve the issues and to ensure safe workplace for the workers.
To save the RMG sector, the owners have to emphasise the importance of labour relation with them, said Rahman.
