The victims of the Tazreen Fashions fire that killed at least 114 workers and injured many others are yet to be compensated, rehabilitated, and delivered justice in 11 years since the incident on November 24, 2012.
No prosecution witness testified in the past year in the case filed following the much-talked-about fire that sparked a global outcry.
Court officials said that so far only 11 of the 104 prosecution witnesses have testified since the beginning of the trial eight years ago in the worst-ever factory-fire incident at the factory of Tuba Group at Nishchintapur, Ashulia, on the outskirts of Dhaka.
Only two witnesses testified in 2022, one each in 2019 and 2021, two in 2017, and five in 2016. The court set March 25 as the next date for the hearing.
Frustrated at slow trial proceedings, victims blamed the government’s lack of commitment to ensuring justice in the deadly incident.
‘Many workers were killed or amputated in the incident. Injured workers are still suffering from pain and living an inhuman life, but the culprits were let go scot-free,’ said Nasima Akter, an injured victim.
KM Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Garment Workers Trade Union Centre, said that the prime accused of the Tazreen fire, Delwar Hossain, was rewarded with the post of president in the Bangladesh Awami Matsyajibi League’s Dhaka North unit last year.
Some of the victims like Amena Begun and Rupali Akhter, who jumped off the different floors to escape the fire, have already died, workers said.
Following the fire incident, sub-inspector Khairul Islam of the Ashulia police station filed a case against 13 people, including owner Delwar.
The Criminal Investigation Department inspector AKM Mohsinuzzaman Khan on December 22, 2013, submitted a charge sheet against the accused.
The accused include the factory owner, his wife and company chair Mahmuda Akter, loader Shamim Miah, store in-charges Al Amin and Hamidul Islam Lavlu, security in-charge Anisur Rahman, security supervisor Al Amin, administrative officer Dulal Uddin, engineer M Mahbubul Morshed, security guard Rana alias Anwrul, factory manager Abdur Razzak, and production managers Mobarak Hossain Monju and Shahiduzzaman Dulal.
Dhaka district and sessions judge SM Quddus Zaman framed charges against the accused on September 3, 2015.
Two of the accused are yet to surrender, and the rest are on bail, said officials.
Shahidul Islam Sabuj, the general secretary of the Garment Workers Unity Forum, alleged that the prosecution was not interested in ensuring justice, though presenting witnesses was their responsibility.
‘Government is wasting time,’ he said, adding that he did not see any seriousness on the part of officials.
Denying the allegation, additional public prosecutor Dipak Kumar Deb said that they were trying hard but could not complete the trial yet due to the non-cooperation of witnesses.
Witnesses live in different parts of the country, so it is difficult to produce them before the court, he claimed.
One of the injured workers, Aleya Begum, said that many of her co-workers were living inhumane lives as a result of their injuries without proper treatment, while many left for villages after losing their earnings.
‘All accused are free on bail, but the victims are living an inhuman life,’ she said, demanding proper compensation.
‘I cannot go to the hospital for therapy because of the bus fare,’ said Anju Ara, a paralyzed victim living in Nishchintapur.
She cried for treatment and compensation.
Sramik Nirapatta Forum convener Hamida Hossain said that compensation was workers’ rights.
Tazreen fire victims were given consolidated financial aid, not compensation, she said.
‘The court will decide how the culprits will pay compensation. The trial of the case is therefore significant,’ she said.
Tazreen owner Delwar did not respond to phone calls or text messages for comments.
Delwar’s lawyer, Faruque Ahmed, said that his client also suffered due to the lengthy trial process. ‘If the trial ends soon, it will give us relief,’ he said.
New Age
