Payments from ILO-led RMG Trust Fund begin

The Rana Plaza Coordination Committee Tuesday formally started providing Tk 50,000 as compensation to each of the Rana Plaza victims and their families.     
The multi-stakeholder committee has made available approximately Tk 142 million to Bkash for payments to eligible claimants.
State Minister for Laobur and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu handed over cheques worth Tk 50,000 each to Jesmin Akhter, an injured Rana Plaza worker and Shamsunnahar, mother of Shilpi, who died in the building collapse, at his chamber at the Bangladesh Secretariat Tuesday.
Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar, International Labour Organisation (ILO) Deputy Director General Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo and Country Director Srinivas B Reddy, among others, were present during the event.
All the Rana Plaza workers including the injured ones, and dependants of the deceased and missing workers will get the same amount.
The distribution of the remaining cheques will begin today (Wednesday). The amount being paid through the cheques will be considered as advance payment and will be adjusted with their total entitlement.
The workers unhurt in the Rana Plaza collapse, on the other hand, will receive only Tk 50,000 as compensation in addition to the nine months' salaries they had previously received.
The payments are being made out of the Rana Plaza Trust Fund, set up in Geneva by the ILO as the Trustee, and the voluntary contributions by the global brands and others to the fund. The Trust Fund has so far received $15 million out of $40 million so far pledged by the stakeholders.
Earlier, a total of 580 New Wave Bottoms workers got the same amount from Primark. The five factories employed a total of 3639 workers.
Any eligible claimant, who fails to receive the Tk 50,000 should call the numbers: 01733336025 and 01733336022 and contact Rana Plaza Claims Administration to provide information and receive the said amount.