All readymade garment factories will open for production from Sunday, while law enforcement agencies will ensure security, said Labour and Employment Ministry Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain.
“There is a huge gap between owners and workers, we have to bridge those gaps,” he also said.
He made the remarks at a views exchange meeting titled “Ongoing crisis in RMG factories and potential solutions” where owners, advisers to the interim government and union leaders attended on Saturday at the BGMEA office in the capital.
In the meeting, the speakers said all apparel factories in the country will be open from Sunday.
BGMEA President Khandoker Rafiqul Islam presided over the program, while Senior Vice-President Abdullah Hil Rakib moderated.
At the same meeting, apparel factory owners decided to shut down their production units indefinitely from Sunday under "no work no pay" policy if the labour unrest persisted.
However, Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan assured the owners saying they will provide security to factories.
“Anyone attempting to shut down factories to destabilize the government and harm the economy will be dealt with. The government will implement special measures to tackle the unrest in RMG factories.”
During the meeting, Asif Mahmud also said: “We have been busy maintaining law and order since we took charge, which is why we could not focus on policy making. We previously saw that when workers protested last year, they were attacked. They didn’t have any right to speak. Now they have rights, and are trying to raise their voice.”
The interim government has already formed a Labour Grievance Monitoring Committee, and many complaints have already been submitted to them.
“We urge the workers to have faith in us. Please submit your complaints to the committee, we will solve the problems by discussing with all parties,” Bhuiyan also said.
The young leader further said: “When workers raised their voice, we generalized this as conspiracy. But the reality is that many problems are still present in the industry. Unpaid wages are a key problem, and we have to address this first.”
“There is a problem continuing for a long time. Many owners also are expecting incentives, loans for paying workers’ wages. We have to come out from this tendency.”
He added that during last year’s protests over the wage hike, over 40 cases were filed against RMG workers. The government is working to withdraw the cases.
“We will also start distributing TCB cards for export-oriented workers soon.”
Asif blamed several Indian newspapers and some bloggers, alleging they were trying to claim that RMG business will be shifted to India from Bangladesh, and they are encouraging their entrepreneurs to invest in the sector.
During the meeting, workers’ leader Babul Akter said: “There are many differences from one factory to another, in terms of facilities such as tiffin allowances, attendance bonuses. Owners should remove all kinds of discrimination, and have a uniform policy in this regard.”
“RMG workers do not have any social status or respect. Mid-level management misbehaves with the workers. These should stop.”
Echoing Babul, senior workers’ leader Amirul Haq Amir said: “Necessary steps should be taken against these mid-level employees.”
He suggested TCB cards for export-oriented workers, which they [workers] have been demanding for a long time.
The labour leaders also demanded the formation of active trade unions in all factories.
The Labour Adviser assured the government will try to implement this.
38 factories remain closed on Saturday
Following the ongoing workers’ unrest, which began on August 31, 38 readymade garment factories remained shut on Saturday in the Ashulia area, according to the BGMEA. Among the factories 36 followed ‘no work, no pay’ policy under the Labour Act’s section 13/1.
Besides, a Ha-Meem Group factory in the same location was forced to suspend production on Saturday afternoon when workers refrained from working.
The number of factories shut on Thursday was 116.
Managing Director of Ha-Meem Group AK Azad said: “In the current situation, it is impossible to pay workers’ wages, even by selling our resources. If the government guarantees our factory’s safety, we will reopen it.”
Dekko Group Managing Director Kalpan Hossain said: “Workers inhumanly beat my mid-level officials. Now they are afraid to go to work.”
