The apparel factories along Ashulia industrial zone, which were shut last week in the face of labour unrest over pay hikes, would reopen today. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, the apex organisation of the apparel traders, announced the decision at a news conference at its headquarters in the city, Sunday evening. Announcing reopening of the factories, BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman requested all the workers to join their production lines. At least 85 export-oriented apparel units were shut along Ashulia, on the outskirt of Dhaka city, following a labour unrest centring wage up-gradation under a new minimum wage board. ‘Following an instruction by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, complying with the request of the workers and considering the economic conditions, I urge the factory owners to suspend the section 13(1) of the labour act and reopen their respective factories from Monday,’ BGMEA chief said.
Before holding the press conference, the BGMEA president met with the prime minister to apprise her of the overall situation of the Ashulia apparel factories. The owners of the Ashulia garment factories on Saturday night held a meeting with the BGMEA leaders where most of the owners favoured reopening, an owner said, after attending the discussion. After getting their nod, BGMEA president also met home minister Asaduzzman Khan at his residence on Saturday night and sought his support for maintenance of law and order situation. The BGMEA president said that at least 30 labour organisations wrote to the BGMEA, requesting reopening of the closed factories, pledging that the seamstresses will join their works peacefully after the facilities are opened. The BGMEA on December 20 declared mass closures of the apparel units, as per provision of 13(1) under labour law, citing a ground that the workers had quit works since December 11, demanding raise in minimum wage to Tk 16,000 a month from the current amount of Tk 5,300. Following the closures of the factories, at least 354 workers of Windy Apparels Ltd, Fountain Garment Manufacturing Ltd and Ha-meem Group, were terminated on disciplinary grounds and for creating incitements. Seven factory authorities filed separate cases against hundreds of named and unnamed workers for vandalism, looting, threatening other workers and assaulting factory officials while police filed some other cases under Special Powers Act and ICT act, respectively. In the press conference the BGMEA president called on the workers not to be instigated by any outsiders who obstruct productions. He said during the closure period, there were no productions and payment would be made as per the provison of 13(1) of the labour law.The BGMEA vice presidents, Mahmud Hasan Khan, Mohammed Nasir, and its former president Abdus Salam Murshedy, among others, were present. Meanwhile, the Garment Workers Trade Union Centre president, Montu Ghosh, blamed the factory owners for the recent labour unrest at Ashulia. ‘The factory owners are inciting labour unrest by shutting their factories down,’ said Montu during a protest rally held in front of National Press Club where he demanded withdrawal of all cases filed against the labours, labour leaders and sought their release. He also demanded to reopen the factories and set the minimum wage at Tk 16,000, and introduce food rations for the workers. Montu said the workers want to work as well as want a decent minimum wage to live. He also demanded prime minister’s intervention into the standoff to settle their demands. The labour leaders asked the government and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association to sit with the labours to work out a logical minimum wage, as early as possible.
