Rana Plaza Victims Place Forth 12-Point Demand

Members of the Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation (SGSF) have held a human chain protest with the demand of fair compensation for those workers who became disabled in the Rana Plaza tragedy. The workers formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club on Wednesday with a banner marked as - “11 years since the killing of Rana Plaza workers.”

Their 12-point demands include maximum punishment for Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana and other defendants, treatment of injured workers, employment and rehabilitation, education provision for the children of the victims, and the signing of the ACCORD agreement by all buyers and brands.

At this time they also demanded the entry towards into the factories, including those in EPZs, must allow unrestricted formation of trade unions and the freedom to collectively bargain, social security for workers and the ensuring of their occupational health and safety, six months of maternity leave, prevention of violence and sexual harassment against women at work, accident insurance coverage for all workers, and the ratification of ILO Charter 190.

The aggrieved workers have also called on the members of the European Union Parliament to vote on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.

Nazma Akhter, president of the SGSF, told that due to the negligence and profits of the factory owners the workers die. She added also that the workers are not given what they deserve and this miserable situation continues. 

On Apr 24, 2013, as many as 1,138 garment workers lost their lives when Rana Plaza collapsed in Savar. At least 2,500 workers sustained severe injuries following the accident. Of them, at least 1,000 workers are now disabled, according to the leaders of the SGSF.

Several injured workers and victims of the Rana Plaza incident also held placards while taking part in the human chain demonstration on Wednesday.