RMG workers’ demos: Timely delivery of goods a concern for int’l retailers

The international clothing retailers that source garment products from Bangladesh are concerned about receiving their shipment on time because of the labour unrest, said the garment factory owners' association BGMEA yesterday.

If the unrest continues the buyers may not place fresh work orders, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan told a press conference at the BGMEA office in the capital's Uttara.

"We are trying to make them understand that only five percent of the factories are affected," he said.

Over 130 garment factories remained closed yesterday with the owners invoking section 13(1) of the labour law which means "no work, no pay", according to him.

Although the international brands had committed to paying more to make up for the increased salary of workers, the prices have not been negotiated yet, he added.

"If the workers of the shuttered factories come and join work shunning the demonstrations, the owners will reopen the factories," Faruque said.

According to police, factory owners have filed 12 cases with Ashulia Police Station over the last few days accusing around 3,500 mostly unnamed people.

In one of the cases, 16 workers were named as accused, said Shahidul Islam, additional superintendent of police in Dhaka district, adding that five workers were arrested this week.

"We are collecting CCTV footage to identify the real criminals," he told our correspondent in Savar.

Garment factory workers have been demonstrating for better wages for nearly two weeks.

So far, three workers, including a woman, were shot dead as police used firearms during clashes between demonstrators and law enforcers.

At yesterday's BGMEA press conference, Faruque said 25 units have been vandalised so far.

The BGMEA chief then asked the workers to return to work and urged the authorities to protect the factories from vandals.

Amid widespread protests, the minimum wage board for garment workers recently raised the starting monthly salary from Tk 8,000 to Tk 12,500. Unions have rejected the new wage and continued protesting.

The board yesterday published a gazette on the new salary, stating that of the Tk 12,500 salary, Tk 6,700 is basic, Tk 3,350 rent, Tk 750 medical allowance, Tk 450 conveyance, and Tk 1,250 food allowance.

Meanwhile, Mojuri Briddhite Garment Sramik Andolan, an alliance of 11 labour organisations, yesterday wrote to Monnujan Sufian, the state minister for labour, notifying her that they reject the salary of Tk 12,500 and demand Tk 25,000, of which the basic salary should be 65 percent.

The workers yesterday demonstrated at different places for better wages.

Contacted, Sarwar Hossain, general secretary of Garments Sramik Unity League, said workers should be protected from harassment during legal proceedings.

Officials said teams of police, border guards, and Rab were on high alert in the industrial areas.