7 Yrs of Tazreen Fire: The pain still resonates
For most of the last seven years, Shobita Rani has been unemployed.
She was hired a couple of times by garment factories in Savar over the years, but the mother of three has been unable to sit or stand for long due to a crippling back pain she has had since jumping through the first-floor window of Tazreen Fashions.
Like her, many survivors of the deadly fire at the garment factory have not been able to resume a normal life yet.
But a resolute Shobita refused to give up. Last year, she and nine other injured workers set up a factory in Buripara area of Ashulia on October 1.
“When factory authorities started denying us appointments and as we were unable to work full time, I decided to set up a mini-factory with the help of others,” she told this correspondent. “But I could not maintain it due to fund crisis,” she lamented.
At least 113 workers were killed and 172 injured on November 24, 2012, in the fire at Tazreen, some 35km south of Dhaka.
When the fire broke out, the workers attempted to leave the building through the front gate, but the management had locked it from outside. Most of the survivors left the building by jumping from the upper storey windows.
Shilpi Akter, 30, another survivor, said she was a sewing machine operator of the factory. She jumped off the second floor of the building and got injured.
“I’m still not fit to work,” she said. “The government has not done enough for victims like us. We demand proper compensation.”
7TH ANNIV OF THE TRAGEDY
Marking the seventh anniversary of the tragedy, survivors and family members of the deceased yesterday demanded capital punishment for those responsible.
They also demanded compensation for the survivors and victim families, rehabilitation and establishing a security fund for factory workers.
Marking the day, human chains, rallies and processions were held in Savar and the capital where participants also urged the government to acquire the factory land and build a hospital and dormitory to rehabilitate the affected workers.
Four national federations of the garments sector held a rally in front of Jatiya Press Club. In the morning, labour leaders and activists joined a rally in front of the factory and paid homage to the deceased.
Khairul Mamun Mintu, organising secretary of Garments Sramik Trade Union Kendra, said the injured and family members of the victims are yet to get due compensation. Even the perpetrators have not been not brought to book, he added.
STATUS OF THE CASES
Two cases were filed with Ashulia Police Station against the factory owner and others. In September 2015, police submitted charge sheets in both cases against 13 people, including the factory owner.
The cases are currently under trial at the Additional Sessions Judge’s Court-1 in Dhaka.
About the progress of the case, Shahidul Islam Sabuj, convener of Revolutionary Garments-Textile Workers Forum, said most of the time witnesses remain absent on hearing dates. They were present on only six out of 36 deposition dates, he claimed.
Meanwhile, Abdul Motin, brother of a victim, filed another case with the High Court over the incident, which was also transferred to the Additional Sessions Judge’s Court-1.
Tazreen owner and Managing Director Delwar Hossain was sent to jail in February 2014 on charges of causing deaths by negligence. He was released on bail six months later.