Brutal behaviour!

Amran Hossain

A front page story published in a local English daily on July 27 reported that a female garment worker named Salma Akhter lost a finger when the boss at the factory allegedly hit her with a scissor for not attending a meeting. It is a serious criminal offense.
Apart from the civil case filed, the supervisor is also guilty of violating existing labour laws that warrants his dismissal from service. Is he still in employment? No supervisor is entitled to orally abuse or as in this case, physically abuse and injure any working person!
It seems that most garment factories are lawless places; and the workers are treated more like slaves; with inhumanly long working hours (possibly with very little overtime!) and no compensatory paid days off; which are specified in Factory Act and also Standing Orders Act. Over and above, cruel and abusive behavior seems to be these workers norm!
Having worked in many factories in the Engineering and Chemical sectors for over forty odd years, I cannot imagine the inhuman conditions in garment factories after reading all about it since the saga of the 'Rana Plaza'. It seems garment factory workers are treated more as slaves than normal human beings are!
The factory concerned, must pay for all the hospitalization (outdoor or indoor), treatment, medicines and all travel expenses and related costs, to the garment worker for attending the hospital until full recovery. Full wages for the days lost due to the brutal accident with adequate compensation for physical disability of the damaged fingers (if it occurs) is their responsibility .
It is unfortunate, that these opportunist employers take advantage of the workers ignorance and cheat them out of their dues and compensations, that they are entitled to as per law!

The writer is an Engineer.