Unrest, uncertainty still persists in RMG sector

After Sheikh Hasina fled the country, the authorities have accepted all the demands of the agitators to resolve the unrest created in the garment sector. However, the instability of this sector hasn’t stopped yet. On the contrary, the workers have started the agitation again with various demands. This has created new uncertainty in the sector.

It is reported that the workers of two garment factories initially started the agitation separately. Later it spread to most factories. The agitators gradually made several demands. The last 18-point demand they made was announced to be met through the mediation of the government. With this, the owners and workers came to the decision to open all the factories from September 25. However, three days later, on Saturday (September 28), the workers again started their agitation demanding the opening of the closed garment factory in Ashulia, withdrawal of the case filed in the name of the workers and fixing the minimum wage of Tk 22,000. 49 factories have been closed due to this movement.

Locals informed that the workers of Mondol Knitwear Limited staged demo in front of the factories in Zirabo area of Ashulia from Saturday morning, as the day progressed, they were joined by the workers of several nearby garments.

After 10 am, the workers protested by blocking Bypail-Abdullahpur road in Zirabo area in Ashulia. Meanwhile, at one stage of the protest, the workers went in front of various nearby factories and chanted slogans and threw bricks. Following the incident, the authorities of at least 8 to 10 factories in that region were forced to declare holidays.

The demands of the agitating workers were assured in the meeting on September 24, but on Saturday they took the streets and announced the closure of some factories under Section 13(1) of the Labor Act.

The workers of the agitating BEQ Knit Limited said that according to the decision of the meeting, the case against 27 people of their factory was supposed to be withdrawn, but instead of doing so, the factory was closed by showing the contrary to the labor law. Later, the workers got angry and brought out workers of some nearby factories and started protesting on the road demanding the withdrawal of the case in the name of the workers and the opening of the closed factories.”

A source from the Industrial Police said that after the workers of Lusaka Group started protesting in the morning, the workers of Mondol Knitwear Limited in Zirabo area took the streets and started the protest by blocking the road. The workers of Mondol Group were agitating for a few days demanding an increase in salary to Tk 22,000. The workers of some other factories also joined them. They protested till 11 am, sources informed.

A worker of Mondol Group said that since the meeting held on September 24, some local miscreants have beaten up workers on behalf of the owners. They claimed that they are protesting against attack. However, they could not provide any accurate information about which worker or who was beaten by whom.

Meanwhile, according to information received from industry sources on Saturday, a total of 49 factories in Ashulia industrial area have stopped production activities. Among them, 12 are on the basis of No Work, No Pay under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labor Law and 37 factories were closed or announced holidays after opening the factory.

The closed factories include Generation Next, Skyline Garments Limited, Mangotex Limited, Glorious Sun Fashion, Southern Garments Limited, Textown Limited, Skyline Apparels Limited, New Age Apparels, New Age Garments, CIDCO Limited, among others.

Superintendent of Police of Ashulia Industrial Police-1. Sarwar Alam said that they are trying to keep the situation calm by explaining to the workers. He also said that additional members of our law and order force have been deployed at various points for the security of the industrial area.