Online Desk:
He said these things at a discussion meeting organized on Saturday (September 14) at the Nurul Qadir Auditorium of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on the ongoing crisis and the way forward for the ready-made garment factories.
Mentioning that the problems of the workers will be solved, Advisor Asif Mahmud said, call to the workers, trust them when the new government has come. We will take all kinds of steps for the welfare of workers. In all cases, the discontent in the garment factories should not only be blamed on outsiders, but the owners should also keep an eye on the timely payment of dues to the workers.
Asif also said that all concerned should be aware that there is a conspiracy going on in the garment industry, so that no neighboring country can take advantage of this situation.
He said four workers died during labor unrest in 2023. Initiatives have been taken to withdraw all the cases that were filed against the workers at that time.
Calling upon the workers to keep the factory open from tomorrow, the advisor said that if the rights of the workers are protected, the workers will be the vanguard and protect the factory.
BGMEA president Khandaker Rafiqul Islam expressed a slightly different opinion and said that all garment factories will be open tomorrow Sunday as the government has assured security. However, if there is unrest in a factory, the factory will be closed for an indefinite period as per section 13/1 (no work, no pay) of the Labor Act from the next day.
In the meeting, BGMEA and BKMEA leaders said that all garment factories in the country will be open from Sunday. However, in the interest of the country and the industry, to protect the employment of workers, if the workers do not work in a factory, leave the factory without working, create chaos in the factory, then the owner of that factory can close the factory according to the law if he wishes.
BGMEA president Khandaker Rafiqul Islam presided over the exchange meeting with three advisors of the interim government – Industry Advisor Adilur Rahman Khan, Fisheries and Livestock Advisor Farida Akhtar and Labor and Employment Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Labor Secretary AHM Safikuzzaman, Major General Md. Moin Khan NDC PAC (GOC, 9th Infantry Division), representatives of various law enforcement agencies, BKMEA president, BGMEA past presidents, BGMEA board members and general members of BGMEA participated.
Amirul Haque Amin, President of National Garments Workers Federation, Babul Akhtar, General Secretary of Bangladesh Garments and Industry Workers Federation, Montu Ghosh, President of Garments Workers Trade Union Center, Moshrafa Mishu, President of Garments Workers Unity Forum, were on behalf of the workers in the exchange meeting.
In the meeting that lasted for more than three and a half hours, the advisors heard everyone’s speech, they also spoke about themselves. At that time, Adilur Rahman Khan said that the government has made a committee to solve the problems arising in the garment sector. The problem will be solved quickly by discussing with everyone through this committee. The culture of working together should be brought back. The adviser said, instability in the garment industry is not desired by any employer-employee. The third party will take advantage of the conflict situation in the garment industry, which will not benefit either the owner or the worker.
He also said, (Sunday) in factories which will not work, separate measures will be taken to solve the problems of those factories. Besides, the factory owners who deliberately keep the factory closed and try to create unstable situation, will also be remembered, said the industrial adviser. He said, it has been decided to keep all the factories open on Sunday. Attempts to shut down factories to jeopardize the economy will be remembered.
GOC Major General of the Ninth Infantry Division of the Army. Moin Khan said, the demands of the workers are reasonable, but if they are not resolved, the unrest in the industry cannot be resolved. Army will give highest priority to protect garment industry. According to the army, three factors are mainly responsible for the unrest in the garment industry. These are – attack by outsiders; Instability is being sustained by the combination of rational and irrational demands of the workers; and fraud dominates the business. But the invasion of outsiders is not there now, it is not happening anymore. On the other hand, the industrial police said that a cycle is creating instability in industrial factories to push the current government into unstable situation. Now it is important for advisors to pay special attention to the worker dissatisfaction of Beximco Group. About 50,000 workers of Beximco have taken to the streets and vandalized and set fire at different times. He said, out of 9 thousand 481 factories, only 4 thousand 94 factories have received salary on 14th today or 43.8 percent.
