RMG worker 'denied maternity leave'

A female worker of Fashion Craft Knitwear Ltd, a readymade garment factory at Beron of Ashulia, on the outskirts of the capital, yesterday lodged a general diary with police, saying she was denied maternity leave and forced into signing a white paper on Thursday.

Sathi, 26, a finishing operator, is eight months pregnant and was advised by a nurse at the factory health centre on July 14 to take leave, and she had been at home since that day, the worker told The Daily Star by phone. She said the management assured her of maternity leave, the salary of July, and the Eid bonus.

Sathi said she had been working in the factory for the last one year and four months.

“The management paid my salary of June on July 10. As I got some money, I went to the Centre for Woman and Child Health Care and did some medical check-up on pregnancy. According to the test result, the probable delivery date is September 12,” she said.

"As I submitted my papers to the factory medical department, a nurse named Akhi informed the factory admin officer Shofiqul Islam Swapan and requested my leave. And the management staff asked me not to attend office from July 14."

Akhi confirmed to The Daily Star that she examined Sathi and advised her to take leave.

Sathi said she was paid the salary for 14 days of July and Eid bonus on Thursday but when she requested maternity leave, the administration office asked her to give a resignation letter and submit her identity card and attendance book.

"But I said I left those at home," the worker said, adding that Swapan forced her into signing a white sheet, threatening that if she did not, she would be confined.

When called by phone, Swapan, the assistant general manager (AGM), said he could not talk to this correspondent without the higher officials' permission.

M Rahman Sohan, admin officer (HR and Complaints), said the factory was already closed for Eid vacation. “I will talk to the factory management about the matter on August 4 when the factory will open,” he said.

Sathi lives with her husband Md Badsha Miah, a maxi driver, in Bottola of Ashulia. They hail from Alamdanga upazila under Chuadanga.