Photo essay: Twelve years after the Rana Plaza tragedy, a collage of unfinished recovery

TWELVE YEARS HAVE PASSED since the Rana Plaza building collapsed in Savar, Bangladesh. It happened on April 24, 2013, one of the deadliest factory disasters the world has ever seen. An eight storey building with five garment factories came crashing down that day, extinguishing 1,134 lives and leaving more than 2,500 injured and disabled indelibly for life in ways more than one. Certain pain, certain trauma can not be forgotten.The collapse was not merely of a building but a symbol of the systemic repression of the global fast fashion industry built on the back of deficit labour law regimes in third world countries. We know today that the building that collapsed had big cracks, but workers were still forced to go inside. They were told they would lose their pay if they stayed home. Just hours later, the building crashed, trapping thousands under the rubble. Some were rescued after many hours, even days. Many others never came out alive. ActionAid, Bangladesh reports that over half of the survivors are still unemployed. Almost 90 percent have not had a job for more than five years. Most live in abject poverty suffering from long-term pain, affected mobility, and serious mental health problems. After the tragedy, some safety rules were made stronger in the garment industry. On May 15, 2013, the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh (‘Bangladesh Accord’) was signed, a five year independent, legally binding agreement between retailers, global brands and trade unions to uphold safety and health standards in Bangladesh’s Ready Made Garment industry. After the Bangladesh Accord expired in 2018, a successor Accord agreement was extended till 2021, and in 2021, it became the International Accord. In December 2022, the Accord was expanded to Pakistan. As of 10 April 2025, 260 brands had signed the International Accord, including the Adidas Group, Benetton and Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M). The RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), a private national tripartite initiative, now checks factory safety. .But regulatorily, there are other gaps that need to be fixed. In an interview with the Daily Star, Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, the Labour Reform Commission chairman in Bangladesh opined that the set compensation amount for industrial accidents or death, set at Tk 2 lakh is inadequate.Treatment, compensation and rehabilitation of the survivors of Rana Plaza has fallen into a state of neglect. Three litigations initiated in the aftermath of the incident, one alleging negligence in duty, one over the construction of the building in violation of the Building Construction Act, and one alleging corruption related to the building’s construction, are yet to conclude. Survivors of Rana Plaza are still living with pain, poverty, and sadness. Twelve years later, the tragedy is not over. It continues in the lives of those who were left behind. Until the survivors receive the help, respect, and support, Rana Plaza will remain a living wound..Yanur Akhter was fifteen years old when she was trapped under the rubble of Rana Plaza for eighteen hours. A concrete beam fell on her, and she suffered extensive spinal and nerve damage. Her mother, who also worked in the building, did not make it home. Now 27, Yanur relies on medication and her husband's limited income to survive, as her physical condition prevents her from holding a job or fully caring for her family..Saddam Hossain was working at the Nestlé office in a building next to Rana Plaza when the eight story factory collapsed on April 24, 2013. The falling debris damaged his building, killing four people and injuring seven others. Saddam was trapped for nearly two hours. His right hand was badly injured and later had to be amputated. He also received injuries to his leg, head, and ear, which still affect him today. Now 38, he is unemployed and depends on the interest from a small family savings scheme to support his household. He got married in 2018, but life remains difficult as he continues to live with the physical and emotional scars of that day..Mahmudul Hasan Hridoy was working as a quality inspector on the eighth floor of New Wave Style Ltd. Just three days earlier, he had married. Hridoy was trapped under the rubble for nearly twenty hours before rescuers found him. Despite months of treatment, he never fully recovered. His ribs were crushed inward, making it hard to breathe, and one of his legs became paralysed. He now uses crutches and needs help to move. Hridoy’s marriage ended in June 2015. He now runs a small pharmacy to survive, but life remains a daily struggle..Nilufa Begum was a sewing operator on the fifth floor of Rana Plaza, working at Phantom Apparels Ltd. She was trapped under debris for nine hours when the building collapsed. A beam crushed her right leg, leading to eleven surgeries over the next decade. Despite being able to walk now, she still wears a brace and suffers from kidney issues, poor eyesight, and a breast tumor. Nilufa lost her husband in 2019 and now struggles to raise her eighteen year-old son, Rifat, alone. Once a factory worker, she now sells cigarettes and paan to survive and dreams of securing a better future for her son..Sumi Akhter was a swing operator at New Wave Style garments. Having just joined earlier that month, she narrowly escaped death but lost her mother in the tragedy. Trapped under rubble for three days, her right leg was severely injured and later amputated to save her life. Since then, Sumi has been unemployed and relies on a prosthetic leg, which must be replaced every 1.5 to 2 years. While initial prosthetics were provided for free, she recently had to take out a loan to buy one. Now a mother, she struggles with the financial burden and fears for her son's uncertain future..Mohammad Shahidul Islam was working as a finishing iron man on the sixth floor of Ether Tex Ltd. After being trapped under debris for nearly six hours, he was rescued. However, the trauma left deep psychological scars. Even after all these years, Shahidul remains under treatment for mental health complications. Now living in Savar with his wife and two children, he continues to battle the long-term effects of the disaster while trying to rebuild a stable life for his family..Rubi Akhter lost her daughter, Morjina Akhter, who worked at New Wave Bottom Apparels Ltd. on the fourth floor of Rana Plaza. After the building collapsed, Rubi rushed to the site and waited in agony for days. It wasn’t until seventeen days later that she found her daughter's lifeless and disfigured body amidst the ruins. Since then, Rubi has been living alone, carrying the weight of her grief. She now works as a domestic helper, struggling to make ends meet while holding on to memories of her daughter. “If she were still alive, I wouldn’t be struggling so much,” she told The Leaflet..Robiul Islam Manik, 27, worked as a Machine Mechanic In-charge on the seventh floor of Rana Plaza and was the sole breadwinner for his family. His parents, both elderly and in poor health, now live in financial distress, unable to work. “If my son were still alive, our struggles wouldn’t be so hard,” said Renu..Mohammad Khokon worked as a sewing operator on the seventh floor of New Wave Bottom Apparels. He was rescued nearly six hours after the building collapsed, suffering a serious injury to his right hand. Since then, he has faced ongoing physical health issues. Unable to return to factory work, he now earns a living by selling vegetables from a cart in local neighborhoods. He lives in Savar with his wife and two children..Parul Begum was working on the fifth floor of Phantom Tec Ltd. when Rana Plaza collapsed. Trapped for eight hours under the rubble, she sustained severe injuries—a rod pierced her side, and her right kidney was damaged. She has been unable to work due to chronic pain. Her husband, Mohammad Yasin, also suffered injuries, including a ruptured eardrum. Though he was out of work for nearly four years, he now works as a security guard at a small factory. The couple struggles to make ends meet on his modest income..Jasmin Akhter, 36, worked as a sewing operator on the fifth floor of Phantom Tec Ltd. in Rana Plaza. She was rescued nearly five hours after the collapse, sustaining injuries to her waist, spine, and legs. Despite multiple treatments, her health continues to deteriorate. After her child was born a year later, her husband left her. Now living in a single rented room in Savar, she works as a domestic helper to survive. “I can neither live a healthy life myself nor give my child the life they deserve,” Jasmin told The Leaflet..Nilufar Yasmin used to work at Ether Tex Ltd. on the sixth floor of Rana Plaza. The injuries she suffered in the collapse and the long road to recovery changed the course of her life. Her husband left her due to her deteriorating health. Despite the hardship, she raised two children alone, marrying off her daughter and ensuring her son received an education. With no steady support, Nilufar now works as a day laborer to make ends meet, holding onto memories of a past where hope once lived.

Photo essay: Twelve years after the Rana Plaza tragedy, a collage of unfinished recovery

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