8th anniversary of Tazreen tragedy today

Today is the 8th anniversary of the Tazreen Fashions tragedy in which at least 114 workers were killed and more than 300 were injured as fire wrecked the garments factory in November 2012.

Marking the day, following the initiative of Narayanganj Regional Coordinating Committee of Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP), Narayanganj Cluster Committee of Industrial Bangladesh Council (IBC) and with the association of Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS), tribute was paid to the deceased at the Zurain graveyard on Tuesday morning.

Speakers at a brief rally at the graveyard said that workers and their families, affected by different accidents at various workplaces across the country, including Tazreen and Rana Plaza, would be compensated on the basis of ILO Convention 121 and the Fatal Accident Act 1855 and workers' compensation for lifelong loss, said a press release of BILS.

To this end, a national standard of compensation has to be created, they demanded.

At the same time, the speakers urged for speedy trial of those responsible for the fire at Tazreen Fashions and compensation for the victims in accordance with international standards and long-term treatment of the injured.

They also demanded to bring all workers, both institutional and non-institutional, under labour law, to create national standards of compensation, to conduct nationwide mobile court drives to inspect risky workplaces, including construction, chemical and engineering to ensure safe workplaces for all.

They furthermore asked for the establishment of specialised hospitals for the treatment of injured workers and setting up of special units in hospitals.