Protests force RMG units shut Saturday, Sunday

In the wake of the protests triggered by the death of over 300 workers in the Savar building collapse, the BGMEA and BKMEA will keep all clothing factories closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 26 April 2013, 08:02 AM
Updated : 26 April 2013, 08:05 AM

The decision was taken during a meeting between all the former Presidents of the apparel exporters BGMEA and the leaders of BKMEA and BTMA on Friday evening.

BGMEA President Atiqul Islam announced the holidays after the meeting, also attended by BKMEA President AKM Selim Osman.

Islam said the move aimed at ensuring proper rescue efforts and provide the injured with proper medical treatment.

Earlier, the BGMEA had announced a daylong closure in all the garment units only for Saturday.

On Wednesday morning, the nine-storey Rana Plaza, located near the Savar Bus Stand, caved in. The official death toll was 304 until 5:35pm Friday. Around 2,000 people were reportedly injured and many more missing. Nearly 3,500 employyes were working in the five garment units in the building when it collapsed.

Allegations were also raised about workers being forced to work in the factories ignoring warnings about cracks developing there on Tuesday.

Angry readymade garment workers also took to the streets in the capital, Dhaka, on Friday protesting against the Savar tragedy and demanding arrest of the owners of Rana Plaza and the five garment units.

Similar protests are going on in Savar, Gazipur and Ashulia. Most factories in those areas were shut for the day.

Of the five factories in the Rana Plaza, Mahbubur Rahman Tapas and Bazlus Samad Adnan are the owners of New Wave Bottoms and New Wave Styles, respectively.

Mohammad Aminul Islam owns two factories, Phantom Apparels and Track, while EtherTex is owned by Mohammad Anisur Rahman.

On Thursday, RMG workers had laid siege to the BGMEA building before being moved away by police.