All RMG units shut for 2 days

Having suffered from labour unrest in the last two days, garment makers across the country yesterday decided to suspend production in their factories for two days from today mainly to avoid massive unrest.
Production was suspended at majority of factories in Dhaka, Gazipur, Savar, Ashulia, Maona for the second consecutive day yesterday, fearing a further labour unrest, stemmed from deaths at Rana Plaza.
With the suspension of production, the garment sector, already battered by continuous hartal, has been dealt yet another blow.
Industry people fear that many garment factories will face order cancellation, expensive air shipment, sale on discount and shifting of buyers to other destinations if the suspension persists for a long time.
“My regional office in India has been sending mails continuously to know whether the factories will be able to execute the orders in time amid hartals, processions, unrest, production suspension and political situation,” said an official of a Spanish retailer preferring not to be named.
The official also said a buyer, who came to Dhaka from Spain on April 24, was scheduled to stay here until April 29. But the buyer left Thursday fearing further unrest.
“Thus, I lost a buyer,” the official added.
Mustafa Imrul Quayes, managing director of Savar based Versatile Attire Ltd, said "If I suspend production, I lose almost $48,000 per day. The production capacity of my factory is 8,000 pieces of shirt in a day.”
Quayes suspended production in his factory for the last two days.
“My factory is a small one in comparison to others. Think about a big one that incurs loss due to production suspension in a day,” he added.
Jashim Uddin, managing director of Centex Garment at Kachukhet in the capital, said “Production suspension for a day means a loss of $30,000. But I have no option.”
The decision to keep the factories closed for two days was taken at a meeting of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the owners' platform, yesterday.
“We will sit tomorrow (today) to decide whether the production suspension will continue or not,” BGMEA President Atiqul Islam told a media briefing at the trade body's office in Dhaka.
BGMEA is apparently saying that they have decided to keep the factories closed for two days to express solidarity with the rescue effort at Rana Plaza, industry insiders said.
Actually, they have taken the decision to stop further unrest in the sector, they added.
Speaking at the briefing, Atiqul also asked the owner of Rana Plaza and garment factories housed in the building to surrender before the court immediately.
"BGMEA never tolerates any wrong-doing" he said, adding that steps would be taken so that workers and employees of five garment factories could receive their salaries and other dues within the first week of next month.
"BGMEA will take the responsibility for paying salaries and arrears to the workers," he said.
Atiqul also said the BGMEA, if necessary, would take steps for better treatment of the injured workers.
"The families of the victims of the building collapse will be duly compensated. Employment will be arranged for the able-bodied members of the victims' families.
"Besides, the injured workers, who will lose their ability to work, will be rehabilitated," he said.
He also said the BGMEA and engineers of universities including the Buet would check structural designs of all buildings that house garment factories in the next three months.
Yesterday, the unruly garment workers vandalised many factories and vehicles at the city's Mirpur, Pallabi, Rokeya Sarani, Shyamoli, Technical and Dar-us-Salam Road areas, demanding immediate arrest and punishment to the owner of Rana Plaza and the factories.
In July and August last year, more than 300 owners had suspended production at their factories in Savar and Ashulia for two weeks following a labour unrest.