Production remained suspended in more than 10 readymade garment factories at Ashulia in Dhaka and in Gazipur on Monday as workers aggrieved by new wage order continued their protests.The unrest continued despite the government assurance of addressing the problem. ‘Workers in the most of the factories in Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj join works on Monday as the state minister for labour Mujibul Haque on Saturday requested them to join works and assured them of resolving the inconsistency, if any, in the newly announced wage structure,’ Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments inspector general Shamsuzzaman Bhuyan told New Age.Workers in a few factories in Ashulia and Gazipur continued their protests on Monday and hopefully they would join work shortly, he added.Workers at Ashulia, Gazipur and Narayanganj took to the streets on December 9 protesting against new wage order.The workers complained that their basic wages in some grades were decreased from what they were previously getting. After several days, state minister for labour Mujibul Haque on Saturday held a meeting of Crisis Management Core Committee constructed with the representatives of the government, factory owners and labour leaders.Following the meeting, the state minister said the contradictions, if any, in the new wage structure would be removed after the national elections on December 30. According to the DIFE officials the workers from 5-6 factories in Gazipur and from 4-5 factories in Ashulia continued their demonstrations on Monday and productions remained suspended in the units.They said the DIFE, industrial police and factory owners were working in the factories so that the workers could join the work.Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association vice-president Mohammed Nasir said the workers in most factories in Ashulia, Narayanganj and Gazipur resumed their works on Monday.He hoped that the problems would be resolved shortly as the government and factory owners presented the real calculation of new wages among the workers.
