Pain still fresh

Published January 24, 2013
Bangladeshi man Ansar, wails as he holds photographs of his deceased wife and daughter. Two months after his wife and daughter were killed in the fire, 55-year-old Ansar is scrambling to survive. Ansar has been unable to pay his rent for two months and fears that if he gets evicted and forced to return to his home village in the impoverished north, he may never be compensated.
Bangladeshi man Ansar, wails as he holds photographs of his deceased wife and daughter. Two months after his wife and daughter were killed in the fire, 55-year-old Ansar is scrambling to survive. Ansar has been unable to pay his rent for two months and fears that if he gets evicted and forced to return to his home village in the impoverished north, he may never be compensated.
Bangladeshi Abdul Jabbar holds his son Masum, as he displays a photograph of his wife Mahfouza Kahtun, a sewing machine operator who died in the fire at Tazreen Fashions. The fire drew international attention to the conditions that garment workers toil under in Bangladesh, where the $20 billion-a-year textile industry is incredibly powerful and politically connected.
Bangladeshi Abdul Jabbar holds his son Masum, as he displays a photograph of his wife Mahfouza Kahtun, a sewing machine operator who died in the fire at Tazreen Fashions. The fire drew international attention to the conditions that garment workers toil under in Bangladesh, where the $20 billion-a-year textile industry is incredibly powerful and politically connected.
Bangladeshi Rumana Begum holds a photograph of her 18-year-old daughter Mukhtar Begum, a senior sewing machine operator who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Rumana Begum holds a photograph of her 18-year-old daughter Mukhtar Begum, a senior sewing machine operator who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Mohammed Habibur displays a photograph of his wife Rashida Akhtar, a sewing machine operator who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Mohammed Habibur displays a photograph of his wife Rashida Akhtar, a sewing machine operator who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Saddam Hussein, holds a photograph of his wife 20-year-old Mitu Begum, a sewing machine operator who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Saddam Hussein, holds a photograph of his wife 20-year-old Mitu Begum, a sewing machine operator who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Rokeya Begum displays a photograph of her 18-year-old daughter Henna Akhtar, a sewing machine helper who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Rokeya Begum displays a photograph of her 18-year-old daughter Henna Akhtar, a sewing machine helper who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Mohammed Hannan weeps as he holds a picture of his wife Ahenur, an assistant sewing machine operator who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Mohammed Hannan weeps as he holds a picture of his wife Ahenur, an assistant sewing machine operator who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Zamiron Begum, weeps as she displays a photograph of her daughter Bobita Khatum, a senior sewing machine operator who died in the fire.
Bangladeshi Zamiron Begum, weeps as she displays a photograph of her daughter Bobita Khatum, a senior sewing machine operator who died in the fire.

The fire at Tazreen factory in Bangladesh last November might have already slipped out of our minds. But to the families of the 112 workers that were killed two months ago, the pain is still fresh, especially since they have to deal with another whole new problem.

Tazreen Fashions has yet to pay out any of the compensation they promised, not even the last paychecks of the deceased. It might be an understatement to say families of the deceased are in need of money, because they lost not only their love ones, but also the primary breadwinners of their families. The financial states of these families are like salt onto their unseen wounds. —Photos by AP/text by Alisia Pek

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