Neither the BGMEA nor Tuba Group management nor workers’ leaders involved in the ongoing agitation seemed sincere in ensuring workers’ payment before Eid; rather, they allegedly pushed them into untold sufferings only to free Delowar Hossain, the owner of the group, from prison.
When some 1,600 garment workers of the Tuba Group were eagerly waiting to draw their overdue wages before Eid their representatives along with the leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association persuaded them to launch an agitation to free Delowar so they get their payments.
Delowar was arrested in connection with the November 2012 Tazreen factory fire.
The workers, however, are yet to get a single penny. They have been on a fast-unto-death demonstration for the fifth consecutive day starting a day before Eid for the dues.
Talking to several workers of five factories of the Tuba Group – who participated in the negotiation with the BGMEA – this correspondent came to know that leaders of the apex trade body had persuaded the workers to demonstrate to free Delowar.
The BGMEA leaders tried to convince the workers, saying they would not get their outstanding salaries and Eid bonuses until the factory owner was released.
“You have to take to the street to make it clear why you have not been paid your salaries,” Manik, a worker of the Taif Fashion, quoted Md Abdul Ahad Ansary, chairman of the BGMEA Standing Committee on Labour Education and Welfare, as saying.
“You will not get your dues if the owners are not freed,” Ahad told the workers and pressed them to stage an agitation.
When contacted over phone for comments, Ahad however denied that he had said so: “Our duties are to negotiate with the factory owners to ensure workers’ payment and we did not ask the workers to stage demonstration to free Delowar. A team of 50 workers took part in the negotiation and we discussed the payment issue only.”
China Akter, a line chief of the Tuba Textile, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We had given up the hope of getting our salaries and bonuses, but a ray of hope became visible when Mishu apa came.
“She announced the hunger strike and we joined her.”
Moshrefa Mishu, president of the Garment Workers Unity Forum (GWUF), told the Dhaka Tribune: “We informed the BGMEA that we were going to stage a fast-unto-death as there were no options left.”
She said after several failed attempts to contact any official of the BGMEA she sent a text message to BGMEA Vice-President Shahidullah Azim informing him about the demands of the workers.
When contacted, Shahidullah admitted having received Mishu’s SMS sent at 6:45pm on Tuesday saying the wokers would go on a hunger strike by 7pm the day before Eid if the wages and bonuses were not paid by then.
“Mishu apa made the decision of hunger strike and we joined her to realise our demands,” said Morzina, vice-president of the Awaj Foundation, an NGO working with RMG workers. Morzina is also a worker of Tuba Textile.
When the workers were demonstrating for the salaries of previous three months, some of their leaders tried to use it for the release of Delowar, claim many workers.
“We went to the BGMEA under the leadership of Nazma to settle the issue of our outstanding salaries, but after the meeting she seemed to be working for the owners and we rejected her,” said Hossain Ali, an operator of the Taif Design.
“She had never come to us and actually she acted in favour of the owners,” said Ali.
Nazma Akter, president of the Sammilito Garment Sramik Federation, however, said: “I am contacting with my workers and leaders as there is a trade union affiliated with my federation, but I abstained from joining them [in the hunger strike] to avert conflict with Mishu as she misled the workers.”
She said if Delowar got bail, it would be the outcome of the hunger strike.
Meanwhile, the agitating workers of the Tuba Group have rejected BGMEA’s assurance of resolving the crisis within seven working days and vowed to continue with the fast-unto-death until their five-point demand was met.
Moshrefa Mishu in a media briefing made the announcement yesterday, saying they would stage a demonstration today in front of the factory at 11am.
The demands include immediate payment of the outstanding wages, bonuses and overtime dues of 1,600 workers, job security for all workers of the Tuba Group keeping all the factories operational, scrapping of Delowar’s bail, and compensation for those who died in the Tazreen Fashion fire and the treatment cost for those injured in the fire.
As of yesterday, more than 80 of the agitators, including Mosrefa Mishu, had fallen ill; 15 of them were admitted to Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital and Badda General Hospital in the capital.
