Rana Plaza Tragedy: 42pc survivors still jobless

Four years after the Rana Plaza disaster that killed over 1,100 people, over 42 percent of its survivors are still unemployed, according to a new study.

Of the unemployed, 48.1 percent cited being physically weak and 33.4 percent not having the mental strength as the main reason for being out of work, said the ActionAid Bangladesh study report.

The non-government organisation yesterday unveiled the report styled “Unforgettable and Unforgivable: Rana Plaza” at the capital's Brac Centre.

The fate of the workers, who were still physically and psychologically unfit, had not changed as they did not get any compensation and proper rehabilitation, the report reads.

The survey was conducted on 1,403 of the survivors and 607 families of the deceased.

Of the survivors surveyed, 65.2 percent were women. Most of the survivors were in their prime and over 70 percent were below 30.

In the case of families of the deceased, the respondents were mostly spouses, fathers and brothers.

At least 13.1 percent said their situation was getting worse, 74.5 percent said their physical health was somewhat stable and 12.4 were completely stable.

The people, who said their condition was deteriorating, mentioned headaches, pain in the hands and legs, back pain as major problems.

The report said that in terms of psychosocial health, 30.8 percent were still in trauma. During last year's survey, 58.4 percent survivors were found to be traumatised.

The study this year found that 57.6 percent survivors had employment of various kinds. The employment rate has increased but the progress was still slow.

Of the employed, 4.8 percent earned less than Tk 5,300 while 42 percent earned between Tk 5,301 and Tk 10,301 a month and 31.6 percent between Tk 10,301 and Tk 15,300.

The report claims that the situation has improved significantly since 2015 when 76 percent earned less than Tk 5,300.

The average expenditure for survivors was Tk 10,560 a month. Their major expenditures were for food, followed by rent, children's education and treatment.

The survey stats said that 41.8 percent survivors currently unemployed were thinking about starting their own businesses and 26.2 percent had no plans.

On April 24, 2013, the eight-story building called Rana Plaza, which had several garment factories in it, collapsed in Savar on the outskirts of the capital. The collapse, the worst industrial disaster of the country, left hundreds of people trapped under a huge pile of rubble. More than 2,500 people were injured.

The Criminal Investigation Department charged 42 individuals, including building owner Sohel Rana, in cases filed in connection with the building collapse.

Forty-one were accused of murder while 18 were accused in a case filed in connection with violating the building code.

Rana's parents Abdul Khaleq and Morzina Begum and then mayor of Savar municipality Refat Ullah were among the 23 on bail while prime accused Rana and five others were in jail. The rest are on the run.