Leaders of Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation have urged the global RMG buyers to continue their work orders at factories in Bangladesh even if their countries return to another lockdown to fight the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic. They came up with the statement at a human chain held in front of the National Press Club in the capital on Thursday. Najma Akter, president of the organization, presided over the programme. Nahidul Hasan Nayan, general secretary to the workers’ platform, which represents over 1,00,000 workers, said during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, over 2 lakh RMG workers have become unemployed. Meanwhile, some global buyers are trying to cut their work orders while some are suspending orders and seeking discounts in excuse of fresh lockdowns in their countries. The buyers’ move is pushing the readymade garment workers in Bangladesh into a deep uncertainty again, he added. Najma Akter said the first phase of lockdown affected many female garment workers who did not get proper compensations yet. This situation is raising social instability as thousands of families depend on the earnings of these workers. Taking these issues into consideration, she urged the global buyers not to cut their work orders for Bangladesh. Leaders of some other frontline labour organisations also took part in the programme. Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation also placed a nine-point demand for the welfare of RMG workers. The demands include ensuring at least 50% payment of suspended work orders from buyers, ensuring salaries of unemployed RMG workers during their jobless period by the Bangladesh government amid the pandemic, and giving risk allowance to those that continued their duties amid the pandemic. Besides, ensuring free Covid-19 tests for RMG workers, not to furlough the labour in excuse of coronavirus and providing them with insurance facility also include the demands.
