Plight of garment workers
Zabed Wali, Pahartali, Chittagong
Droves of garment workers emaciated, battered and wraith-like coming out of their sweatshops: a common sight of the busy intersections of the city. It seems that every atom of their life-blood has been sucked up by the beast inside whose maw they toil from dawn to dusk. The biggest irony is that they are paid a mere pittance in exchange of their back -breaking labour. The whole scene reminds one of the institution of slavery which was in practice in American South prior to the Civil War. Unfortunately, the owners often hesitate to pay the wage of the workers --a practice which leads to demonstrations and eventual conflicts. Again the same people, the owners, maintain a life -style that recalls the lavish lives of the figures of the stories of The Arabian Nights. Last year, following the protests of the workers, the minimum wage of a worker was fixed as Tk 1,662. I think the venerable economists and the owners the worthies who resolved upon the said amount of money-- can explain why that specific amount of wage was fixed as the monthly emolument of a human being!
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