24th April 2013 at 9 am suddenly the countrymen witnessed a big accident. A building named Rana Plaza collapsed. More than a thousand people lost their lives. The number of injured is about 2500. Many of the injured were crippled for life.
It has been 10 years since the mentioned Rana Plaza tragedy. Many have forgotten sadness. But how are the injured? We went in front of Rana Plaza to find out.
Going to the surface, it can be seen that a pillar has been built in front of Rana Plaza in memory of the martyrs, but it is lying in careless neglect. Car parking in front and garbage dump in back. After a while, pedestrians are going to answer the call of nature.
Farooq Hossain was one of the injured that day. He had a shop under the Rana Plaza building. He was also injured in the accident that day and lost the function of two fingers. But he did not get any compensation because he was not a garment worker.
After a long treatment, he is now trying to get back on his feet. Farooq Hossain told Barta24.com with regret that I was sitting in the shop that day. There was a customer, I was making tea. But suddenly we felt something like an earthquake and saw the building moving. I immediately tried to run away, but when a pillar of the building hit my hand, two fingers of my hand were completely destroyed. But in this incident, many people got various kinds of help, but I did not get any help. For a long time, I have spent my days without my daughter-in-law. Many journalists have come and interviewed before, but got no help.
Rikta is a garment worker who survived the accident. Having lost her right hand, she is now living a helpless life at his in-laws' house in the village. She has lost half of her ability to work. She was speechless when she still remembered that memory. While searching for her, a Barta24.com reporter spoke to her family. Rikta's father-in-law told about those miserable 72 hours that day.
He said, my son's wife was stuck in this building for 72 hours. At first we thought we might be dead. But after three days I saw the face of my son's wife. I couldn't contain myself when my son's wife called me daddy while stuck. I am only asking Allah for the life of my daughter-in-law. Then I stood by myself and cut Rika's right hand up to the elbow.
Rikta was pregnant at the time of the accident. Currently she has a daughter aged 9/10 years. At present she cannot do any work properly alone. But thank Allah she is still alive. When asked whether she received compensation, he said, I received some compensation at that time, but it was very little. I heard there will be more. But he has no further information.
Demanding construction of a building for the workers where the Rana Plaza building was, he said that due to careless neglect, the place has turned into a wasteland. It would have been better if they had reserved a residence for the workers in this place, provided accommodation to the workers. Many people are still living a subhuman life.
Local labor leader Rafiqul Islam Sujan told Barta24.com that due to lack of maintenance and renovation, people are littering this area of Rana Plaza. Besides, street people urinate here while walking, which is disrespectful to the workers.
He also urged the government and BGMEA to take necessary measures to rehabilitate the injured-killed workers and their families and provide medical treatment to those still undergoing treatment. That is our expectation.
Savar upazila Nirbahi Officer Rahul Chand could not be found in the office to talk about this. Despite contacting him several times on the phone, it was not possible to get any statement from him.