Workers demand reopening of closed factory

The National Garment Workers Federation has demanded the reopening of the closed Hamim Sportswear and permission to form a trade union.

The federation and workers raised the demand at a press conference on Tuesday at its Topkhana central office.

The Federation has also demanded the payment of workers' dues if the factory were to remains closed indefinitely, punishment for those who had beaten up female workers, and an end to harassment.

National Garment Workers Federation Presdent Amirul Haq Amin made the demands in a written speech.

Federation General Secretary Safia Parvin, Bangladesh Garment Workers Federation General Secretary Kamrul Ahsan, central leaders Nurun Nahar, Faruk Khan, Md Rafiqul Islam Rafiq and laid-off workers of Hamim Sportswear were present at the press briefing.

The owners had shut down Hamim Sportswear on Oct 13 without any notice, rendering 400 workers jobless. The workers claimed two female workers had been beaten up at the factory on Oct 12, a day before the closure.

Workers also demanded that authority clear their dues and compensation.

Despite a sit-in before the BGMEA office and writing to the prime minister and state minister for labour, workers are yet to see any government initiative to reopen the factory.

Instead, they had been subjected to a baton-charge while going on a procession towards the Prime Minister’s Office.

Moreover, they claimed their request for a trade union registration had been declined thrice by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

They accused the factory owners of blocking the registration process.

They wrapped up the press conference by announcing a hunger strike in front of the National Press Club on Nov 20.