Suranjit upset over Tuba settlement delay

Senior Awami League leader Suranjit Sengupta has expressed his displeasure ar the 'delay' in resolving the issues regarding payment of overdue salaries and allowances of Tuba Group workers.

Speaking at a discussion in Dhaka on Friday, he said these problems could have been solved earlier if 'sincere approach' had been made.

Sengupta, a member of ruling party's Advisory Council, however, praised the shipping minister, state minister for labour and employment and BGMEA for 'solving the problems' .

Around 1,600 workers of the five Tuba Group factories have been on a hunger strike for nearly two weeks to press for their three months’ unpaid wages, overtime dues, and allowances.

Sengupta said the initiatives the shipping minister and state minister for labour have taken could have been taken much earlier. If that had happened, the situation would not have boiled to this point .

He criticised the ‘uncompromising attitudes of extremist Left politics’ and said those doing Left politics in trade unions have to consider the ‘real situation of politics’.

He said the problems will have to be resolved so that a similar situation did not occur next Eid.

Following government mediation, the BGMEA is paying the agitating Tuba Group workers two months' wages.

Many workers collected their payments on Wednesday and Thursday from the BGMEA building while a number of workers did not.

State Minister for Labour Mujibul Haque Chunnu has said the government will take measures if all workers are not paid their dues by Sunday.