Owners of readymade garment factories need to change their “avaricious” attitude towards their workers for the existence of the sector, speakers at a programme said Monday.
Organised by Bangladesh Nari Progati Songho, the programme, titled “needful steps for the establishment of fair wages for RMG workers”, was held at the Liberation War Museum in the city.
Prof MM Akash of Dhaka University said there was no alternative to increasing workers’ salaries in order to keep the RMG sector running. He requested the authorities to include a provision in the new labour law to give workers 5% of the profits.
“Agricultural workers are considered as low level workers in our country. Their daily income is Tk300, so they earn Tk9,000 per month. How come the salary of a RMG worker is only Tk3,000 in this present economic reality?” Prof Akash said. Women’s rights activist Shirin Akhter requested the government to strengthen the factory inspection department of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. “The condition of garment workers in our country is worse than that of a servant, as we have seen with the Spectrum, Tazreen and Rana Plaza tragedies. So, it is now more important to ensure a safe workplace than the minimum wage,” Shirin said. Nagorik Oikko convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said buyers need to be included to improve workers’ wages. However, he said, that was not possible due to our government policy. “Flourishing of capitalism is very cruel. And that is why the government favours the owners instead of the workers. As a result, sometimes they take the wrong decision,” Manna said.
Workers’ leader Nasima Akter said the owners first need to take the initiative for forming trade unions to change the fate of workers.
“After increasing the salary to Tk3000, if a worker is asked to make 150 pieces of clothes instead of 100, and threatened with dismissal if he or she fails to bear the extra burden, who will be the beneficiary? BGMEA has maximised the salary of workers. On the other hand, FBCCI has skyrocketed the price of things. Consequently, the fate of the workers has not improved,” Nasima said.
Ruhin Hossain Prince, a central leader of left-leaning CPB, said: “The avaricious attitude of the owners need to be changed for the development of the RMG sector.”
Sayma Haq Bidisha of Dhaka University and Lutfor Rahman also spoke at the programme.
