Jatiya Sramik Shakti Demands New Wage Within Three Days, Calls for Labour Minister's Resignation

Jatiya Sramik Shakti has expressed full solidarity with the workers' fair demands in the ongoing wage-increase movement. At the same time, the organisation has called for no violence or use of force in the movement. Its demand is that a new pay structure must be made effective within the next three days.

Leaders of Jatiya Sramik Shakti placed these demands at a press conference on Tuesday. Abdul Hannan Masud, a member of the Jatiya Nagorik Party's political council and a member of parliament, was present at the press conference.

Abdul Hannan Masud said the government and the owners have, in the name of forming a wage board, engaged in partisan appointments and installed their own people, which the workers do not accept. It is because of the government's immature decisions at various times that the movement has reached this stage. To protect industry itself, workers' wages must be increased in line with the current market, he said.

Jatiya Sramik Shakti convener Mazharul Islam Fakir said: 'We have long been demanding that a wage board be formed and a new wage fixed. Yet the labour minister has failed in this task. We demand the resignation of the failed labour minister. A new wage must be fixed within the next three days.'

The organisation's member secretary Riaz Morshed said: 'We request our brothers in the administration — please do not attack the workers' movement. We do not want to see the police of the Awami era.'

Speakers at the press conference alleged that workers are being attacked at various places with the joint backing of BNP leaders and activists and the police. They warned that if such repression continues, the movement of ordinary workers could grow larger and take a different form.

The press conference called on the government to play a tolerant role quickly to handle the situation. At the same time, a strong demand was made to accept the workers' fair wage, in line with the rising cost of living in the current market, so that they can meet their living expenses.