After a gap of three years, readymade garment (RMG) workers have launched an agitation at Ashulia and adjoining areas on the outskirts of the capital demanding a hike in their minimum monthly wage from Tk 5,300 to Tk 15,000, sparking concerns within the government. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself expressed deep concern and asked for finding out whether there was any conspiracy behind the latest spate of agitation. At least 25,000 workers of 26 garments factories in Ashulia abstained from work and staged demonstrations in and around their factories yesterday morning. However, they postponed their demo and decided to return to work today following assurances from the authorities concerned. The decision was taken at a tripartite meeting of workers, factory owners, and government officials concerned. The meeting was held at Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan’s house on Minto Road in the capital last night. At the meeting, the agitated workers agreed to withdraw their demonstration on assurance that house rent at Ashulia will not be increased for the next three years. Earlier in the day, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed urged the workers to return to work and said the workers’ demands would be resolved through discussion in proper forum.Meanwhile, the prime minister’s reaction came in the wake of the agitation of the past few days by Ashulia-based RMG workers and subsequent threat by their leaders to spread the agitation in RMG units across the country. Earlier, production halted in at least 26 RMG units as workers went on demonstrations staying away of their factory units yesterday morning, Ashulia police station’s officer-in-charge (OC) Mohsinul Quadir said, adding that the workers were demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 15,000.The factories which suffered production halt due to the agitation include Setara Group, Bando Design, Star Link Creation, De Rose, Pioneer, Washing Design, Palmal Group, Safa Knit, Dong Xiang and Envoy factories. The factories are situated in Jamgorha, Norshinghopur and Beron areas of Ashulia. Apart from the pay-hike issue, the agitating workers said that they were not being given gratuity and leave to which they are entitled. They even complained about harassment by factory owners.The general secretary of the Garment Workers’ Trade Union central committee, Khairul Mamun Mintu, said workers cannot survive on the present salary due to the skyrocketing prices of daily essentials. The resentment among the workers has been growing over the past week, triggering anxiety among the factory-owners.Shadhan Kumar De, who runs ‘The Rose Dresses’ factory in Jamgorha, said he anticipates losses if the issue is not resolved soon. A dialogue is on to resolve the crisis, he added.The minimum wages for the country’s garment workers was raised by 77 per cent to 5,300 taka ($68) following a labor dispute in September 2013 when thousands of demonstrators demanding higher wages forced the closure of 400 of the country’s 5,000 clothing factories. The government is seeing the workers’ movement as a conspiracy against the RMG sector and even the government. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed her deep concern over the workers’ unrest in Ashulia. During yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Sheikh Hasina asked her Cabinet colleagues to find out the reason behind the sudden worker-related trouble in the garment factories. She said that her government had raised the salaries of the garment workers to a satisfactory level, and that factory owners were providing salaries to their workers at much hardship to themselves, a minister told this correspondent. “I don’t understand why the workers have gone into sudden agitation. We must find out the reason behind it,” the minister further quoted the Premier as saying.State minister for labour Mujibul Haque Chunnu said: “It’s a conspiracy against the government and the RMG sector to create an unstable situation in the country in the name of raising the salaries of the garments workers.” “Local and international conspirators may be behind the latest flare-up,” he added. The president of the Garments Workers Unity Forum (GWUF), Mushrefa Mishu, told The Independent that the garments workers would continue with movements all over the country until the government accepts their demand. “The government has increased the salaries of its employees recently; so, why is there no increase in the salaries of the garments workers?” she asked. She pointed out that the government raised salaries of garment workers three years ago.
