Fallen forces are instigating labour unrest with money from across the border, home minister tells parliament

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has alleged that fallen forces and their local collaborators are instigating the labour unrest in the country. He also said a quarter is trying to make workers agitated by exploiting the ongoing war situation in the world.

The home minister made the remarks on Wednesday (Nov. 11) in a statement under Rule 300 of the Rules of Procedure during a sitting of the Jatiya Sangsad. Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal presided over the sitting at the time.

Salahuddin Ahmed said working people are suffering because of the economic downturn caused by the ongoing world war, price rises for fuel oil and other goods, and the increased cost of living. He alleged that a quarter is trying to exploit this situation to make workers agitated.

To tackle unrest in the garment industry, the government held meetings with workers, owners and other stakeholders and formed a wage board ahead of the scheduled time, the home minister said. He said the board’s meetings are under way and a minimum wage will be announced based on the opinions of the parties concerned.

However, he alleged that a quarter is investing money from across the border to try to create unrest using the wage board as a pretext. According to him, the government has evidence of the involvement of fugitive ministers, MPs and leaders of the fallen government in these activities. He also alleged that the labour organisation of a party represented in parliament is leading the movement, but said he would not name the party or any individual, citing parliamentary practice.

Salahuddin Ahmed described the recent arson incidents as an old political culture of the Awami League. In this context he cited the incident of June 4, 2004, when gunpowder was thrown to set fire to a BRTC double-decker bus in front of the then Hotel Sheraton at Shahbagh in the capital. He claimed nine people were killed on the spot and two more later in hospital, 11 in total.

The home minister agreed with the opposition leader’s statement that the recent unrest is being instigated from across the border. He alleged that the fugitive Awami League leader, in audio and video calls from across the border, is instructing party leaders to prepare lists of July movement participants and to vandalise their homes, and is threatening to teach the July fighters a harsh lesson if she returns to the country.

The minister also raised the case of a man named Ranjit Sarkar, who he said entered Bangladesh from India, held a meeting and fled again. He said a case over the incident names 20 people and accuses 175 unidentified others. Seven people who took part in the meeting have been arrested and a joint drive is under way to arrest the rest.