Workers and leaders of different workers’ organisations in the apparel industry demanded immediate resignation of the Inspector General (IG) of the DIFE for his failure to resolve the issue of non-payment of wages of 1,300 workers of Swan garment factories ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. On the 10th consecutive day of the ongoing sit-in by the workers of Dakkhin Khan-based two Swan factories — Swam Garments and Swan Jeans, the agitators went on Tuesday for laying siege to the office of Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) and made the demand. The protesters said the IG has no right to hold the position anymore as some 1,300 workers did not celebrate the Eid festival because of his failure. They also came under police attack while approaching the office of the DIEF located at Sromo Bhaban on Rajuk Avenue in the capital’s Motijheel area that left two of the workers injured. Then the protestors staged rally in front of the office to this effect. However, a team of workers’ representatives, led by Monto Ghosh, President of Garment Workers’ Trade Union Centre, sat with the officials concerned to find a way-out of the situation. After emerging from the meeting, Md. Shamsuzzaman Bhuiyan, Additional Inspector General (Joint Secretary) of the DIFE, told the agitators that the 9-member committee formed earlier to deal with the issue will sit with owners and workers for reaching a solution on July 23 next. The meeting was earlier fixed for July 27. “We, the DIFE, always work for the wellbeing of workers. We’ll also do the same in terms of Swan although it is a matter full of complexities. Let’s go for talks,” he said. When contacted, Monto Ghosh said the authorities of the factories had closed their units on April 10 last without clearing wages and other financial benefits, putting the survival of the workers and their families at stake. The senior labour leader also called upon the government and the factory owners to take immediate steps to reopen the factories and pay all the due wages to the 1,300 workers before the situation goes beyond their control. Meanwhile, the protestors on the day also announced that they would siege the head office of the Islami Bank on July 23 for withdrawing false and fabricated case filed against the workers with the Dakhhinkhan Police Station.
