An uncertainty looms large over the jobs and five months’ dues of 1,200 workers in Swan Garments Limited after the factory owner shut the factory without any prior notice and his subsequent suicide last week. The garment workers are now faced with a precarious situation following the unnatural death of the factory owner, Ming Yuen Hon (Toby), who took his own life. Abu Bakar, inspector (investigation) of Vatara Police Station, confirmed the death and an unnatural death case has been filed in this connection. The untimely demise of the managing director put the Swan Garment workers and the factory itself in a fix as none claims to be the heir to the property. On April 9, Ming Yuen Hon tried to flee Bangladesh without making payments and arrears to the workers, but was caught by his employees. “We caught him at the Airport and brought him back to the factory. After that he paid us a one-month salary,” said Jahangir Alam, line chief of the factory. Later on April 10, the factory owner hung a notice that said the factory had been declared closed, Jahangir added. “We were working in the factory and there was enough work order to run the factory, but over the last few months, the owner had been subcontracting his work orders,” Sharifa, an operator of Swan Garment, told the Dhaka Tribune. She alleged that the factory owner had a bad intention and he delayed making payment, that resulted in five-month dues. “Now it has become very tough to lead our lives as we did not have a single penny,” said Roksana, a worker of the factory. She said she failed to pay her house rent and tuition fees for her child over the past three months. “If we do not get the dues, we have to starve and leave Dhaka silently.” BGMEA President Atiqul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune, “We have discussed the issue with the Ministry of Labour and called for necessary steps to pay the workers dues.” The factory owner has assets and the government can pay the workers through the sale of his properties as there is none to inherit the garment factory other than the government, added Atiqul. The labour leaders and BGMEA in a meeting decided to meet the government to resolve the issue while the garment workers demanded quick disposal of the issue. Meanwhile, at least five RMG workers of Swan Garment received injures while police charged baton to bar them from staging demonstration in front of BGMEA Bhaban. According to workers, at least five of them were injured in police attack. The workers were trying to make their voices for five-month salaries and job benefits heard. Sub-Inspector of City Special Branch (SB) Obaidur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune two workers sustained injuries while police charged baton to disperse the workers to clear the gate of BGMEA Bhaban to let an ambassador out. At around 11am, the workers of the factory gathered in front BGMEA headquarters to realise their salaries of the last five months.
