RMG workers take to the streets to press home their demands.Photo: STAR

Garment owners yesterday threatened to close their factories in the trouble-torn Gazipur district for an indefinite period if the government fails to provide security for the industry by September 25.
The owners issued the ultimatum in a memorandum to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez at the association's office in Dhaka.
Apparently affected by bouts of violence, the owners have handed a key to the BGMEA president in a symbolic threat to shut their factories.
As many as 91 Gazipur-based RMG owners signed the memorandum, seeking security from the government by the deadline.
The owners also urged the government to meet their eight-point charter of demands for smooth operation of their businesses in the area riven by labour unrest. At least 151 factories have been hurt by violence since January across the country, industry insiders said.
The major demands include a normal environment in garment factories, arrest of attackers and others with ties to the recent violence, security to investors and soft loans for the affected owners for rehabilitation.
The owners also demanded that the government increase the number of police and fire-fighting stations in Gazipur, reintroduction of a simultaneous holiday for all factories in the district and development of roads and highways.
According to the owners' letter, nearly 1.0 million unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled workers -- of the 2.5 million -- are employed to Gazipur factories.
"But there is not enough police force to control untoward incidents in the industrial zone," one of the owners complained during the submission of the memorandum.
The recent spell of violence that continued for the last 15 days cost the factories in Gazipur Tk 800 crore in losses, the garment owners claimed.
Foreign buyers have already shifted 50 percent of orders to other countries in the aftermath of the labour unrest, they said.
Managing Director of Mim Sweater Mizanur Rahman said that most of vandalism in the garment factories had spread on rumour. Angry workers set fire to Mim Sweater last month.
Rahman has warned that the garment owners are waiting for nervy days ahead as the workers may take to the streets again to demand the disbursement of Eid bonus and unpaid salary.
"Another chaotic situation may arise from the distribution of salaries and Eid bonuses. The government should stay alert to any chaos," he said.
Parvez said he had urged the government from press conferences to provide security for garment owners considering the importance of the sector.
The BGMEA chief assured the owners of conveying the message of concern to the government with an appeal to take immediate measures.
Bangladesh earned $10.699 billion through exports of woven and knitwear, the two sub-sectors of RMG, in fiscal 2007-08, according to the Export Promotion Bureau.