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“I lost my ability to work at a young age. My husband left me. I undergo regular therapy, and my son earns Tk 6,000 a month from a shop. We spend Tk 2,500 on rent, and the rest barely covers food and clothing,” she said.

“My life is almost inhumane. I am not getting proper treatment or food. I want compensation, rehabilitation, and maximum punishment for those involved.”

Taslima, 55, said she has been unable to work since the collapse.

“I could no longer work after sustaining injuries to my spine, legs, and head. I still have to undergo treatment. I cannot even stand.”

“Due to a lack of money, I cannot buy necessary medicine. I have not received any compensation. I do not even dream of living anymore. If I had received compensation, my life might have been different.”

Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of Bangladesh Garments and Sweater Workers Trade Union Centre, said, “The Rana Plaza collapse was a planned murder. The trial of those involved has not yet been ensured. The government under Sheikh Hasina did not fulfil a single demand of the Rana Plaza workers. The interim government also failed to fulfil their demands.”

“We expect the present government to ensure compensation, rehabilitation of the workers, and punishment of the guilty.”

He added that all 2,438 injured workers of Rana Plaza are living inhumane lives, as none of them has received adequate compensation.

Meanwhile, at a discussion titled “Rana Plaza Building Collapse: Protracted Trials and Rights of the Affected”, organised by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) at the Jatiya Press Club, labour rights advocates criticised the government and factory owners for failing to ensure “dignified compensation”.

BLAST Honorary Executive Director Sara Hossain said no case has reached a final settlement in 13 years, and no verdict has been delivered.

She added that full legal remedies and compensation, in line with ILO standards, have yet to be secured for the victims and their families.

Taslima Akhter of Bangladesh Garment Sramik Samhati said, “Thirteen years is a long time, but the horror of Rana Plaza has not faded. The scars still haunt survivors.”

Regarding compensation, Taslima said, “Compensation is not an act of charity; it is a legal right of the workers. But compared to the loss suffered, the compensation provided is highly inadequate and undignified.”