Apparel factories in Ashulia reopen today
Apparel makers decided to reopen their factories today after the government pledged to ensure security at their plants.
The factory owners had suspended work for an indefinite period three days ago.
The decision came at a meeting of factory owners and labour leaders, chaired by Labour and Employment Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju at the secretariat in Dhaka.
“The government has promised to ensure security at the factories in Ashulia,” Raju said at the meeting.
“With assurance from the government, we have decided to reopen the factories in Ashulia,” Atiqul Islam, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, told The Daily Star after the meeting.
“Many factory owners might reopen their factories on Saturday, as Friday is a public holiday. But all the factories will officially be open on Friday,” he said.
The previous decision on 'no-work no-pay' will be effective for the last three days.
There has virtually been no work in Ashulia, home to several hundred garment factories, since the fatal collapse of Rana Plaza in Savar that highlighted appalling safety conditions in the sector.
However, workers will receive pay for those 12 days prior to the suspension as they punched in their attendance cards, he added.
Industry insiders said there were a number of factory units that did not suspend operations in the last three days, disobeying the BGMEA order.
Workers have demanded a minimum wage of Tk 8,000 with tiffin and transport allowances, when the government only announced the wage board, but has not formed it yet.
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