Rana Plaza survivors demand over Tk27cr donations allegedly embezzled by NGOs

Survivors of the devastating Rana Plaza collapse have called on authorities to ensure that they get donation money, amounting to over Tk27 crore, allegedly embezzled by non-government organisations (NGOs).

The Rana Plaza Survivors Association made the demand at a human chain programme in front of Rana Plaza on Friday (4 August).

Leaders of the association said the money should be recovered and given to the injured workers and the family members of deceased workers of Rana Plaza.

Members of several other organisations, including Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation, Bangladesh Progressive Garments Workers Federation, and Readymade Garments Workers Federation, also participated in the human chain.

Earlier on 16 May, British citizen Yasmin A Chowdhury, on behalf of the injured Rana Plaza workers, filed a case against Bangladeshi representatives of three organisations in the Sylhet Metropolitan Court.

According to the case statement, Awaj Foundation, Fashion Revolution and Fair Wear Foundation embezzled money collected from donor groups in the name of helping the injured workers of Rana Plaza.

As per the case statement, Awaj Foundation alone has embezzled over Tk27 crore. 

Yasmin A Chowdhury's lawyer Md Zakaria told The Business Standard, "After the filing of the case, the court directed the Kotwali police station of Sylhet Metropolitan to investigate the case. The case is currently under investigation."

However, Nazma Akhter, executive director of Awaj Foundation, denied the allegations.

"We never collected any funds for Rana Plaza victims, so there's no question of embezzling the money," she told The Business Standard.

She alleged that the case has been filed to ruin the reputation of her organisation.

"We have no comment on the issue now. We will wait for the police to finish their investigation."