Thirteen years after the catastrophic collapse of Rana Plaza, one of Bangladesh’s deadliest man-made industrial disasters, justice and compensation for victims remain largely unresolved.
The apparel factory building collapse, which occurred on April 24, 2013 in Savar, killed 1,136 garment workers and injured 2,438 others, while many survivors have been left permanently disabled.
After the passage of more than a decade, at least 19 civil and criminal cases over the tragedy are still pending with labour and criminal courts, reflecting a protracted and sluggish legal process.
While the building’s owner, Sohel Rana, remains in jail, survivors and families of the deceased continue to wait for accountability and full restitution.
According to rights group Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), out of the 19 cases, 14 civil and criminal cases are still lying with trial courts.
In addition, five writ petitions linked to compensations and workplace safety are awaiting hearings in the High Court Division of the Supreme Court.
The Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) filed 11 civil cases under the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006. All are now pending with the Second Labour Court in Dhaka.
In seven out of the 11 cases, reports on the execution of arrest warrants are due to be submitted on August 24, 2026.
The same date has been fixed for charge hearing in one case.
There is no clear information in the court registry about the status of the remaining three cases.
A money suit was filed by Rubina Akhter, a widow of a deceased worker, seeking compensation from building owner Rana and eight others.
Three cases are pending with criminal courts — one filed by subinspector Wali Ashraf of the Savar police station for homicide due to negligence and violation of building codes, while the other was filed by Shiuli Akter, the wife of deceased worker Jahangir Alam.
Legal proceedings in the main homicide case, which named 41 accused, have dragged on with little progress. During this time, 30 hearing dates have been held. Out of the 594 listed witnesses, only 145 have testified so far.
The next hearing in these cases is scheduled for April 30, 2026.
The trial in the building code violation case is currently proceeding against 37 accused, with three deceased and former Savar mayor Refatullah.
Both cases are being tried together in the 8th Additional District and Sessions Court in Dhaka.
On January 15, 2024, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court directed that the trials be completed within six months. However, 26 months have already passed, with the cases still unsettled.
The third criminal case, filed against building owner Sohel Rana and nine others under the Building Construction Act, 1952 by an authorised officer of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, has been stalled since 2018 due to a High Court stay in response to a petition by a factory owner, Aminul Islam.
The trial magistrate framed charges against 10 of the 18 accused, excluding the government officials named in the charge sheet.
The case was transferred to the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dhaka on June 14, 2016.
However, no witnesses have testified yet.
The next date for recording evidence is also set for April 30, 2026.
In addition to the 14 the civil and criminal cases, four writ petitions and a High Court suo motu rule, related to the Rana Plaza disaster are still pending with the High Court Division of the Supreme Court.
Petitioners’ counsel senior lawyer Sara Hossain told New Age on Thursday that the writ petitions and the High Court Suo motu rule seeking compensation and accountability had remained unheard for more than a decade.
‘We expect that the Supreme Court will hear and dispose of workers’ rights expeditiously,’ she said.
In November 2021, in response to a public interest litigation writ petition by the ASK and BLAST, the High Court issued a rule asking why the ministries of law, labour, and employment should not be directed to take steps to ensure standard compensation.
According to Sara Hossain, the compensation under the Bangladesh Labour Act remains inadequate. In cases of death, each family receives around Tk 2,00,000, while workers with permanent total disability receive about Tk 2,50,000 each — amounts considered far below acceptable standards.
Md Borkot Ali, BLAST director (legal), who looks after the 19 cases, said that even after 13 years, many affected families were still waiting for compensation. He stressed that all Rana Plaza-related cases must be fast-tracked to ensure justice and accountability.
He called on the government to take urgent steps in this regard.
