13 years of Rana Plaza tragedy, victims still await justice

Thirteen years have been passed of the Rana Plaza collapse in Savar, a tragedy that remains the deadliest industrial disaster in the country’s history and a lasting symbol of unsafe working conditions in the garment sector.

On this day, April 24, 2013, the eight-storey building housing multiple garment factories collapsed without warning, killing 1,136 workers and injuring thousands more. What began as a routine workday turned into one of the most devastating industrial accidents globally, leaving behind shattered families, injured survivors and unresolved grief.

To mark the day, survivors, families of victims, industrial police and labour organisations gathered in Savar and paid tribute by laying flowers at a temporary memorial near the collapsed site. Labour groups also held rallies and human chains, renewing demands for fair compensation and accountability for those responsible.

Thirteen years on, many survivors continue to live with physical injuries and financial hardship, while families of the deceased say they are still struggling to cope with the loss of their primary earners.

The legal process related to the tragedy remains incomplete. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed charges against 41 individuals, including building owner Sohel Rana, in 2016, and the trial began the same year.

However, proceedings have moved slowly due to prolonged legal delays and difficulties in securing witness testimony.

Of 594 witnesses listed in the case, only 145 have testified so far. Despite repeated court instructions, authorities have struggled to ensure the presence of remaining witnesses, leaving the case effectively stalled for years.

In January 2024, the Supreme Court directed that the trial be concluded within six months, but the deadline has not been met, deepening frustration among victims’ families and labour rights groups.

As the nation reflects on the tragedy, calls for justice continue to echo from Savar’s ruins, where the collapsed structure still stands as a stark reminder of lives lost and promises unfulfilled.