Labour leaders urge hartal withdrawal

Apparel labour leaders yesterday urged Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh to withdraw the 48-hour shutdown that begins today so that garment workers can report on time from their Eid vacations.
“Most of the workers have gone back to their villages to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr. Two days' hartal would delay their return journey to Dhaka,” said Saidul Islam Goni, general secretary of Jago Bangladesh Garments Sramik Federation.
Factory owners will cut wages and bonuses for the workers if they fail to join work on time, he added.
Jamaat originally called hartal for August 12-13 to protest the High Court verdict that cancelled its registration with the Election Commission. The party later deferred the 48-hour shutdown programme by a day.
The association also urged the government to remove all clauses that go against the workers' interest in the amended Labour Law 2013 and set Tk 8,000 as minimum monthly wage for the garment workers.