Almost half of Rana Plaza survivors are still jobless: Report

Almost 42 percent of the Rana Plaza survivors in Bangladesh are still unemployed, four years after the tragedy, according to a recent study.

The study by ActionAid Bangladesh was based on interviews of 1,403 survivors and families of 607 dead workers.

On Apr 24, 2013, the eight-storey building, which housed five garment factories on the outskirts of capital Dhaka, collapsed.

The study found that some 30 percent of the survivors were still in trauma compared to over 58 percent last year.

“Currently 57.2 percent reported that they are more or less stable and 12 percent have recovered fully,” the NGO said in a statement.

The findings of the study 'Unforgettable and Unforgivable: Rana Plaza' were shared with the media in Dhaka on Saturday.

 

Presenting the highlights, ActionAid Research Coordinator Nuzhat Jabin said that 14.6 percent of the injured workers said they still have serious physical problems.

The study says about 79 percent of the survivors plan to start some kind of small business while a meagre 4.8 percent said they plan to go back working in garment factories.

A further 5.4 percent said they intend to switch from the industry while 10 percent have no career plan so far.

Speaking at the launch of the study, ActionAid Country Director Farah Kabir stressed mental and social, not only financial, rehabilitation for the survivors.

"Many initiatives have been taken after the incident by the government, owners and buyers. But the initiatives, sometimes, have been taken separately or on an ad-hoc basis. We need to make them institutionalised,” she said.

The study suggests incorporating the compensation efforts with socio-economic reality and to continue with factory inspection.

It also recommends streamlining the process of issuing permits for setting up factories.