Some losses are irreparable. Some wounds, whether physical or mental, linger as unbearable memories, nightmares, and fear. Life is precious and invaluable to everyone, whether born in a hut or a palace. All share the desire to dream, to love, to be with loved ones, and to experience life fully. When life is lost or permanently scarred, its value cannot be measured in crores of taka or millions of dollars. Such loss, and the pain it leaves behind, are beyond comparison.
On April 24, 2013, 1,175 lives and thousands of dreams were crushed beneath the rubble of the Rana Plaza building. According to Hajar Praner Chitkar (2015, Bangladesh Garment Sramik Sanghati), 1,175 people died and 162 went missing, while around 2,500 were injured or permanently disabled. This is a date that cannot, and should not, be forgotten. It remains one of the most devastating industrial disasters not only in Bangladesh, but in the world. Just five months earlier, on November 24, 2012, 119 workers were killed in a fire at Tazreen Fashions in Nishchintapur, Ashulia.