Stone crushing worker dies of silicosis
A silicosis-affected former stone-crushing labourer in Lalmonirhat's Patgram upazila died on the way to Rangpur Medical College Hospital yesterday afternoon.
The deceased, Momin Ali, 40, son of Sahidar Rahman of Ufarmara village in Pagram upazila, was the president of silicosis affected stone crushing labourers' compensation movement in Burimari land port area of Patgram.
He also was the plaintiff in one of the 62 compensation cases filed with Rajshahi Labour Court.
In a critical condition, he was admitted to Patgram Upazila Health Complex yesterday morning from where he was referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
But he died shortly after he started in an ambulance.
"Momin had been bedridden for a month but we could not arrange his treatment for lack of money. I went to public representatives, administrative officials, and stone traders for help, but none gave even a taka," said Sahidar Rahman.
Momin left the job at a stone crushing factory at Burimari land port after he got silicosis seven years ago. Treatment in Rangpur and Dhaka failed to cure him.
"Momin Bhai was our leader. He moved to different places in a bid to realise compensation for us. He used to look after labour court cases. Finally he expired, leaving us helpless," said Abul Kalam Azad, a stone-crushing labourer in the same village, also suffering from silicosis.
"The former employers abandoned us. Now the compensation seems far away," said Mahir Uddin of Khalpara village, also seriously ill with the same disease.
According to Burimari union parishad Chairman Abu Sayeed Newaz Nishat, 66 stone crushing workers died from silicosis in the last six to seven years.
"Hundreds others are affected, of them 70 critically ill. The workers got the deadly disease as the stone dust entered the lungs through the nose and mouth while crushing stones without using safety masks," he said.
Lalmonirhat Civil Surgeon Dr Kashem Ali told The Daily Star, "Silicosis infects the lungs and eventually leads to death. Treatment for this disease is given only at the Chest Diseases Hospital in Dhaka."
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