PM directs protection of garment workers' interests and uninterrupted production and exports; wage board formed
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has directed the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to protect garment workers' interests, improve their standard of living and increase their financial capacity. He also emphasised keeping production and export activities in the country's readymade garment industry normal and uninterrupted.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters about the directives after a meeting at the Secretariat on Sunday night, 2 November, with the prime minister to review the situation that has arisen in the garment industry.
The home minister said the prime minister had given instructions on protecting workers' interests and improving their living standards. Alongside advising the wage board, the Labour Ministry has been asked to take the necessary steps to ensure workers' interests.
He said the government wants peace, discipline, development and progress. Developing the garment industry and increasing export earnings, alongside expanding workers' employment, is the government's goal.
The home minister also said martyred President Ziaur Rahman had a contribution to the development of Bangladesh's garment industry. The government wants this industry to advance further, the export sector to prosper and workers' employment to grow.
He said there is a provision to form a wage board every three years to re-fix workers' minimum wages. Although there was time until next December on this matter, the government took the initiative to form the board earlier after discussions with owners and workers.
According to him, the owners gave the names of their representatives, but there was some delay in receiving the workers' representatives' names from labour organisations. After the workers' side's representative name was received on Saturday night, the wage board was formed and a gazette notification was issued on Sunday morning.
The home minister said representatives of owners and workers on the wage board will fix the minimum wage through discussion, considering improvement of workers' living standards, a dignified life with their families and increased financial capacity. The path of discussion for fixing workers' wages is open, and there was no need for a violent movement in this regard, he commented.
He said incidents such as setting fire to police vehicles in the name of movement, attacks at various places, vandalising vehicles and arson at factories are not acceptable in any way. Law enforcement agencies have been clearly told that those who engage in violence, behave unruly or try to create disorder and instability will be dealt with strictly.
In reply to a question about masked infiltrators and provocation in recent incidents, the home minister said analysis of information available to the government shows that some people from across the border are instigating by using innocent garment workers. Through this, attempts are being made to create instability in the country, disrupt export trade and obstruct garment production, he said. The government will deal with such activities strictly and those involved in violent acts are being brought under the law, he added.
On reopening factories closed because of the movement, the home minister said owners have been urged to keep production running. If a factory has closed for any reason, it should be temporary. Production must be kept normal through mutual discussion and understanding between owners and workers, and everyone must be careful so that production and supply of goods for export are not disrupted.
Besides Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, the meeting was attended by the prime minister's political adviser Nazrul Islam Khan, Labour and Employment and Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam, prime minister's adviser Mahdi Amin, and BNP labour organiser and chief coordinator of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas.
