Compensate families of victims, rehabilitate survivors: speakers

IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC), the local unit of international workers' rights watchdog IndustriALL Global Union, yesterday demanded that adequate compensation be paid to survivors and family members of those who died in a fire at Tazreen Fashions factory six years ago. 

Speakers at a human chain formed in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the capital also demanded maximum punishment for factory owner Delwar Hossain and other perpetrators.

They further said the government should amend labour law, under which compensation for the deceased should be over Tk 10 lakh each. In the existing labour law, family of a worker who dies in an accident can expect to receive not more than Tk 2 lakh.

Family members of those who went missing or disappeared should also be given compensation, they added. 

Amirul Haque Amin, senior vice chairman of IBC said survivors of Tazreen factory fire should be provided with rehabilitation.

Members of the IBC also demanded that main gates of factories be kept open during working hours. With the slogan, “Workers of the world unite,” they held a protest rally after the human chain.

Garments Sramik Karmachari Oikkyo Parishad (G-SKOP) also formed a human chain demanding treatment for the survivors of Tazreen Fashions factory fire.

At least 113 workers were killed and 172 were injured on November 24, 2012, in the fire at Tazreen.