At a press briefing at the PMO on Wednesday, the prime minister’s special aide Mahbubul Hoque Shakil said, “People who come here (RMG sector) to find work should not return dead.
“We have to improve the working environment in the sector to ensure accidents like Rana Plaza do not occur.”
On Apr 24 last year, the multi-storied building at Savar, just outside Dhaka, collapsed killing over 1,130 people, mostly workers of five RMG factories housed in the complex.
Bangladesh is the second largest exporter of readymade garment products after China. The $20 billion industry accounts for almost 80 percent of the country’s export income.
The Rana Plaza accident and Tazreen Fashions fire in 2012, which killed over 110 people, had led Western nations and buyers to pressurise Bangladesh to improve the working condition at the factories.
Shakil said Tk 21.7 million was given as donation for treatment of those who were admitted to hospitals and clinics. A further Tk 5 million was given for DNA tests of those buried unidentified.
Shakil said altogether Tk 221.34 million was disbursed from the prime minister’s fund for the victims of Rana Plaza disaster.
He said several other departments of the government spent Tk 46.2 million on the rescue operation.
Shakil said artificial limbs were arranged for those who lost their legs to the accidentat the initiative of the prime minister and with the help of the Thai government.
“The assistance that has been given is the manifestation of prime minister’s sense of responsibility and feeling of kinship to the citizens of the country.”
He added that the rescue and other activities done by the ruling Awami League and its associate organisations were ‘immeasurable by monetary term’.
Govt measures
Shakil also rattled off a list of measures taken by the government following the disaster.
He said 23 inspection teams constituted already visited 3,497 factories. A total of 392 factories were sued for violation of law.
The special assistant to the prime minister said the government had enforced a new law on health and security at workplace and a new wage structure with Tk 5,300 as the lowest pay.
He said an 11-strong cabinet committee was formed, with the labour and employment minister as its chief, for improvement of the overall environment of readymade garment industry.
The recommendations of the committee are being implemented.
Recommendations on ensuring safe workplace, accident prevention and workers’ welfare made by another committee and led by the jute and textiles minister were also being executed, Shakil said.
A garment village was being developed at Gazaria in Munshiganj on 530 acres of land, according to the aide.