Workers of the Tuba group have set a September 25 deadline for the government to pay the workers their due compensation in accordance with the labour law or face stern demonstrations before Eid.
From a rally in front of the National Press Club yesterday under the banner of “Tuba Group Workers Action Committee,” they also called for the group’s five closed factories to be reopened before Eid.
Later, they also submitted a memorandum mentioning their demands to State Minister of Labour Mujibul Haque Chunnu.
Addressing the rally, the committee’s convener Moshrefa Mishu said workers of the five shut-down factories were living their lives in inhuman conditions as they were unable to pay their house rent or buy necessary food and daily necessities. They were constantly being threatened by their creditors, Mishu claimed.
Claiming that Tuba Group owner Delwar victimised 1,600 workers by shutting down the factories illegally, Mishu added that authorities concerned would have to pay the workers with wages for August and September as per the labour law.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Kakoli Akhter, a worker attending the rally, said: “We do not know who to pay first. Should I pay my family in the village so they can buy food, or should I pay the dues to the shopkeeper near my house for buying my food?”
Shimu, another worker, said: “We are not thinking about celebrating Eid. We have to think about how to live our daily life as we have no job and the wages we got earlier are already finished. So I request the government to take initiatives so that we, the garment workers, can enjoy three meals with our families.”
After the memorandum was placed before Mujibul Haque Chunnu, the state minister spoke to the workers’ representatives for over an hour and assured them that the government would take necessary steps to pay wages, festival bonuses and compensation to the workers before Eid.
Moshrefa Mishu told the Dhaka Tribune: “The state minister will talk to the Tuba Group owner and also to the prime minister to take initiatives to ensure salaries, bonuses, and compensation for the workers before Eid.”
The Labour Ministry would also hold talks with stakeholders to settle the issue before Eid-ul-Azha.
Meanwhile, Chunnu said the existing labour law should be amended to make it a pro-labour law and to protect the interest of the workers.
Speaking after the meeting with the workers’ representatives, the state minister for labour said the existing laws do not allow prompt punitive actions against the factory owners including readymade garment industries. By following the existing labour law, it takes a long time to protect the workers’ interests by filing cases against the owners, he said.
“As a result, it does not protect workers’ interests. The workers leaders should raise voice to amend the law keeping provision of tougher punishment against the owners who violate the law,” the state minister added.
