Tuba workers to continue strike

The workers of Tuba Group have announced fresh demonstrations alongside their ongoing fast-unto-death agitation to press for their five demands, including payment of overdue salaries and allowances.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 1 August 2014, 12:06 PM
Updated : 1 August 2014, 12:23 PM

They rejected a statement by the garment owners’ association, BGMEA that they might get a part of their dues within a week.

Garment Workers Solidarity Forum President Mushrefa Mishu announced the new programmes at a press conference at Hossain Super Market in Dhaka’s Badda, which houses three Tuba Group factories, on Friday.

Mishu said her organisation had formed a “Toba Group Workers Movement Committee”, which would go around the country campaigning for workers’ rights.

Mishu, a workers’ leader, joined the Tuba Group workers in their hunger strike on Monday.

Besides her organisation, 11 other leftist organisations including the Communist Party of Bangladesh and BSD have expressed solidarity with the Tuba Group workers.

The five demands are: immediate payment of unpaid salaries, overtime and Eid bonuses, factories should be kept open so that the 1,500 workers can retain their livelihood, compensation for workers who have fallen ill, scraping Tuba Group MD Delwar Hossain’s bail and giving him the death penalty and compensation for the victims of Tazreen Fashions fire.

“BGMEA is trying many tricks to get Delwar Hossain out of jail,” Mishu said.

She said the workers would continue with their hunger strike until their demands are met.
In 2012, Tazreen Fashions, a factory of Tuba Group in Ashulia, burned down killing 112 workers and injuring at least 200 others.
From July, workers of Tuba Group’s five other factories have been on strike, demanding their salaries and overtime for the months of May, June and July and Eid bonuses. BGMEA announced a date several times, promising to pay them, but failed to do anything.
From the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, the workers began a hunger strike.
On July 24, the High Court gave Tuba Group MD Delwar Hossain bail. Workers have been alleging that the owners have held up their pay in order to create a pressure to release Delwar.
BGMEA acting president SM Mannan Kochi at a press conference on Thursday asked for a week’s time to pay a part of Tuba Group’s salaries.
In reaction, Mishu said, “These workers have eaten nothing for five days and they want another week. They’re just joking with us.”
Dr. Arju, a member of a left-leaning doctors’ association, is treating workers who have become ill during the hunger strike, on the seventh floor of the building.
He said he had to put 75 workers on IV saline since the strike began.