At least 583 workers of Tuba Group drew two months’ wages from the BGMEA office yesterday, the association claimed; while another section of workers continued their fast-unto-death for the 10th consecutive day.
RMG exporters’ association BGMEA, which, after being pressured by the government, is giving the wages on behalf of Tuba Group by managing a temporary crisis fund with contribution from its well-off members, has said the workers will be able to collect their wages until 9pm today as well.
Out of Tk4.13 crore dues, Tk98 lakh was paid to the workers on the first day.
On July 28, around 1,200 workers from five factories, who did not get wages and overtime for April-June and Eid bonuses, went on a hunger strike at the Hossain Market in the capital’s Badda area. The market houses three factories of the Tuba Group.
Labour leaders, who are spearheading the protest, said they would not accept any partial payment and announced strikes in all industrial areas of the country for Saturday. The newly formed “Tuba Group Workers Movement Committee” will stage demonstrations around the country today and tomorrow.
A number of protesters alleged that some of their colleagues had been forced to go and collect two months’ wages from the BGMEA.
However, labour leader Moshrefa Mishu, who is coordinating the committee, said those who went to take the wages were not workers; they were the security guards and employees of the factories.
She alleged that a few workers, who came out of the market for various reasons, were forcibly taken to the BGMEA building.
Contrary to the workers’ claim, BGMEA President Atiqul Islam alleged that many workers had been beaten and barred from coming out of Hossain Market.
Papiya, a worker of Tuba Textiles who took payment yesterday, said she was nearly broke and was left with no other option but to accept BGMEA’s offer.
Meanwhile, yesterday afternoon, police entered the market and expelled around 20-25 protesters, terming them “outsiders.” They were mainly leaders and activists of a few left parties that had expressed solidarity with the ongoing labour movement.
Workers alleged that police had bolted the main entrance of Hossain Market early in the morning so that nobody could enter; but police claimed that the workers themselves put the lock in order to prevent workers from coming out and taking the payments.
Around 1pm, police broke the lock and took up positions in front of the entrance with a water cannon and armoured car. Witnesses said they were not letting anyone in but allowing people to come out.
Badruddoza Nizam, member secretary of the Garments Workers Coordination Council and the leader of a section of workers who are in favour of accepting BGMEA’s partial payment offer, said: “We have reached a compromise with the BGMEA and worked to ensure its implementation. We also tried to make sure that the workers went and collected the payments without any hassle.
“Although presence was thin in the morning, many workers came and collected their money in the second half of the day. We hope that the rest of the workers will collect their money tomorrow and Moshrefa Mishu will not have anyone beside her.”
When the workers began their hunger strike, the management of Tuba Group said they could not manage the funds for paying the dues as the banks had refused to lend the fund because their managing director was in jail.
Tuba Group MD Delowar Hossain, released on bail yesterday, was arrested last year over “negligence” leading to the deadly factory fire in Tazreen Fashions in which more than 100 people were killed in November 2012.
Until being pressured by the government on Sunday, the BGMEA has also been echoing the Tuba management that paying its members’ dues was not its job.