Ashulia factories to resume production Thursday
Dhaka, June 20 (UNB) – Garment factory owners on Wednesday decided to resume production in their closed down factories in Ashulia tomorrow (Thursday) as the government assured them of foolproof security.
Leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA} and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) came up with the decision after a meeting with Labour Minister Khandaker Mosarraf Hossain at the secretariat in the afternoon.
The Labour minister told reporters that the closed down RMG units in Ashulia will be reopened from Thursday. He urged the workers to join their work.
“We’ve decided to reopen the factories tomorrow. All the factory owners in Ashuila are requested to resume production over there,” BGMEA president Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin told reporters after the meeting.
BGMEA former president Abdus Salam Murshedy said the factory owners agreed to reopen the units in Ashulia after the minister assured them of ensuring security.
Meanwhile, leaders of workers organisations welcomed the decision. But they cautioned that only reopening of the factories will not help remove the frustration of the workers until their demands are met.
They also stressed the need for an immediate hike in wage of the workers to avert further trouble.
Talking to UNB, President of Textile Garment Workers Federation Abul Hossain said, “The workers have long been sustaining innumerable problems due to the rise in the prices of essentials and house rents. It is impossible for them to bear the costs of living with the current income.”
“Absence of trade unions is also a mojor reason behind the unrest of workers. Whom will the workers complain or talk to refix the wages,” he added.
Abul Hossain also urged the government to create pressure on the owners to increase the wages of the workers.
Earlier in a meeting with the state minister for Labour and Employment Monnujan Sufian at the Shrama Bhaban, representatives of about 50 registered and non-registered garment workers organisation demanded at least a 30 per cent wage hike.
“The minister has assured the workers that the government will provide the workers with a partial ration. She has also assured us that all the false cases against the workers in connection with the unrest will be withdrawn. But she has not given us any promise about abut our demand for wage hike”, said Quamrul Ahsan, general secretary of Bangladesh Garments Shramik Karmachari Federation Quamrul Ahsan.
Md Israfil Alam, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Labour and Manpower Ministry, who was also present at the meeting, told reporters that a tripartite meeting between the government, owners and workers will be called on very soon to address the demand of wages by the workers.
Leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA} and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) came up with the decision after a meeting with Labour Minister Khandaker Mosarraf Hossain at the secretariat in the afternoon.
The Labour minister told reporters that the closed down RMG units in Ashulia will be reopened from Thursday. He urged the workers to join their work.
“We’ve decided to reopen the factories tomorrow. All the factory owners in Ashuila are requested to resume production over there,” BGMEA president Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin told reporters after the meeting.
BGMEA former president Abdus Salam Murshedy said the factory owners agreed to reopen the units in Ashulia after the minister assured them of ensuring security.
Meanwhile, leaders of workers organisations welcomed the decision. But they cautioned that only reopening of the factories will not help remove the frustration of the workers until their demands are met.
They also stressed the need for an immediate hike in wage of the workers to avert further trouble.
Talking to UNB, President of Textile Garment Workers Federation Abul Hossain said, “The workers have long been sustaining innumerable problems due to the rise in the prices of essentials and house rents. It is impossible for them to bear the costs of living with the current income.”
“Absence of trade unions is also a mojor reason behind the unrest of workers. Whom will the workers complain or talk to refix the wages,” he added.
Abul Hossain also urged the government to create pressure on the owners to increase the wages of the workers.
Earlier in a meeting with the state minister for Labour and Employment Monnujan Sufian at the Shrama Bhaban, representatives of about 50 registered and non-registered garment workers organisation demanded at least a 30 per cent wage hike.
“The minister has assured the workers that the government will provide the workers with a partial ration. She has also assured us that all the false cases against the workers in connection with the unrest will be withdrawn. But she has not given us any promise about abut our demand for wage hike”, said Quamrul Ahsan, general secretary of Bangladesh Garments Shramik Karmachari Federation Quamrul Ahsan.
Md Israfil Alam, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Labour and Manpower Ministry, who was also present at the meeting, told reporters that a tripartite meeting between the government, owners and workers will be called on very soon to address the demand of wages by the workers.
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