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Poverty, trauma tags Rana Plaza survivor

Life has become a struggle for Aklima Begun, a survivor of Rana Plaza collapse suffering from internal injuries, and her 18-month-old son. She is financially insolvent and unable to bear her treatment expenses. The photo was taken recently at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, Barisal. Photo: Star

Life has become a struggle for Aklima Begun, a survivor of Rana Plaza collapse suffering from internal injuries, and her 18-month-old son. She is financially insolvent and unable to bear her treatment expenses. The photo was taken recently at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, Barisal. Photo: Star

Aklima Begum survived the deadly Rana Plaza factory building collapse, but the suffering she undergoes now with poverty and trauma is even more painful.
Pocketing the Tk 20,000 she got as compensation after the April 24 collapse, her husband Ismail left Aklima and their 18-month-old son without a trace.
“I have lost everything…my earning source, husband and physical and mental fitness,” an ailing Aklima, 26, told The Daily Star recently. She is now being treated at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, Barisal (SBMCH,B).
On the day of the tragic collapse that killed 1,130 plus workers and left hundreds of others injured, Aklima went to the gate of New Star Garments, housed in Rana Plaza, around 7:30am to receive her salary.
She hesitated entering the factory, as she was informed of cracks in the building. But the factory supervisor assured that everything was alright and that the salary would be paid after they had worked till afternoon.
The building collapsed in an hour.
“I was pressed under a machine and a beam and saw many dying. I became unconscious,” she said, adding that she discovered herself in a nearby clinic a few hours later.
After eight days of treatment, Aklima went back to her Padma village residence in Mathbaria, Barguna, along with the compensation. This is when Ismail, a Savar shop employee, left with the money.
Aklima came to Dhaka in search of Ismail, but in vain. She again got sick and admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. After a week, doctors released her and prescribed rest at home on finding no fracture.
Aklima returned home but could not eat any solid food. Her health deteriorated, forcing her to take admission at SBMCH,B on June 17.
Dr Zahirul Islam Manik, a surgeon at SBMCH,B, said Aklima received internal injuries, especially in the stomach and gullet, and needs surgery and counselling to recover from the trauma.
With her poor parents unable to finance her treatment or living, Aklima is in dire straits. “I do not know how I can survive and bear expenses for my treatment, son and parents. It seems death would have been better for me,” she said.

 

Source- The Daily Star