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Trade Union leaders and rights groups have called for fixing an international standard compensation package for workplace accidents in all industries in the country.
Trade union leaders and rights activists raised the demand after paying floral tributes to Rana Plaza victims at a programme at Savar in Dhaka on Monday. The event was organised in memory of the victims of deadly Rana Plaza disaster.
They said the justice for the victims and their family members of the Rana Plaza collapse is yet to be ensured even after 10 years of the biggest ever industrial disaster in the history of mankind. Besides, worker rights in the readymade garment sec-tor and others industries have not been ensured properly.
They said many workers have died in the last 10 years due to the workplace accidents. Tampaco fire, Hashem Food fire, BM container deport blast, and Siddiqbazar blast are some of them. Such accidents are happening on a regular basis because the authorities concerned failed to ensure workplace safety in the industries.
The trade union leaders also demanded to implement labour law in all formal and informal sectors, set up specialised hospi-tal for workers and operate mobile courts regularly to ensure workplace safety.
They also demanded to declare April 24 as a national mourning day in remembrance of the victims of Rana Plaza structural killing.
On April 24, 2013, a nine-storied commercial building called Rana Plaza located in Savar upazila of Dhaka collapsed, killing 1,134 people mostly garment workers on spot and severely injuring over 2,500. The building housed several garment facto-ries, a bank, apartments and several shops.
It is considered the biggest structural killing in human history, the deadliest industrial disaster in history of mankind, not on-ly of Bangladesh.
Speakers said the government failed to ensure justice for Rana Plaza victims in 10 years. Even, all accused except Shohel Rana, owner of the building, are now roaming at large after getting bail. Rana also was granted bail by the High Court, but the apex court stayed it.
During the tribute programme, trade union leaders said that considering the ongoing high inflation, Tk 8,000 minimum wage is too low. That is why workers’ livelihood has become tougher. Amid the situation, they demanded to set a minimum wage of Tk 24,000 for all sectors.
