Afsana (26) was born into a poor family in a slum in the area of Kamrangir Char, Dhaka. Her father had a total of four wives but did not provide any maintenance or affection to Afsana or her family. At the age of 14, Afsana got married to a young man named Faruq from Joypurhat, who was working in a factory Prime Pet and Plastic Factory located at Hijaltola in Keraniganj.
On December 11, 2019, when a fire broke out at the plastic factory in Keraniganj. Faruq was one of the workers who lost their lives in the accident. He passed away a day after the incident at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
After Afsana’s marriage, she used to rent a house with her husband in Keraniganj, Dhaka. They lived comfortably on her husband’s income. However, everything changed when her husband died in an accident, leaving her without any source of income. She was compelled to move to her mother’s house.
On December 11, 2019, at 4:30 pm, a tragic incident occurred at the Prime Pet and Plastic Industries Limited factory, located at Chunkutia Chowrasta Hijoltala, South Keraniganj Police Station, Dhaka, resulting in the loss of 22 workers’ lives due to a fire. An inquiry into the accident was conducted by the SRS during the investigation, the family of the deceased worker, Faruq, was contacted. In the incident, Faruq was working as an operator in the factory. After his death, his wife was very anxious about the future of their minor child.
SRS decided to provide all kinds of legal assistance to the family of Faruq, who died in the accident, so that they could stand strong during that critical moment
On the other hand, the Labor Minister of the Government of Bangladesh assured the families of all the workers killed that they would receive assistance from the Bangladesh Labor Welfare Fund. According to the said announcement, it was decided to support them in the application process through SRS, so that every family of the deceased worker could avail assistance from the Labour Welfare Fund.
A total of 4 families of the deceased workers applied for the Labor Welfare Fund through SRS. Among them, Afsana, the wife of the deceased worker Faruq, applied for help from the Labor Welfare Fund on 31/12/2019.Almost 3 years after applying, It was recommended that she receive a grant of Tk 2 lakh from the Bangladesh Labor Welfare Fund on 17/01/2023,. Finally, on February 2, 2023, he received a cheque of BDT 2 lakh from the Department of Inspection of Factories and Establishments, Naogaon.
After the death of her husband, Afsana has faced various crises and problems in every moment of her life. She has repeatedly failed in her search for a job and was once forced to accept it as fate. However, her life took a positive turn when she received BDT 2 lakhs from the labour Welfare Fund. Overjoyed beyond words, she expressed her gratitude, saying, “I never thought that I would receive money from this government welfare fund, as almost three years had passed without any news.”
Receiving this money during such a difficult moment in her life boosted her confidence significantly, enabling her to tackle many of her problems. She also appreciated the invaluable support she received after contacting SRS. She said, “Their advice and support are unforgettable. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to apply for this assistance. Whenever I encounter any issues, I call them, and they provide me with helpful advice.”
However, Afsana faced a slight hiccup while depositing the cheque of BDT 2 lakhs. The date on the cheque was unclear, so she couldn’t deposit it in the Joypurhat bank. On SRS’s advice, she contacted the Dhaka head office, and with their assistance, she successfully deposited the cheque into her own bank account. Grateful for the financial support, she now hopes to invest the money wisely in the future when a good opportunity arises.
Afsana spoke about her plans for the future: “I have now deposited the money in my bank for future use. If I engage in good job, I believe I shall no longer lack. This will enable me to raise my child and fulfill my dream of sending him to a madrasa to become a great scholar. My ultimate goal is to make my son shine with the same brilliance as his father.
Afsana expressed her determination, saying, “As much as I have suffered in my life, I will strive to ensure that my son does not have to face any hardships in his life.'”
