Govt to deal RMG unrest firmly

Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir has said that those creating unrests in the garment sector will be dealt with a strong hand.

The minister did the tough talking hours after he refused to admit there was any unrest at all in the garment sector.

He made the announcement following a meeting with garment owners and workers. The meeting was convened at his Secretariat office to discuss the present condition in the garment sector following the fifth consecutive day of violent protests on Wednesday over workers’ wage hike demand.

The owners’ body, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, proposed a Tk 600 hike to raise the minimum wage to Tk 3,600. The workers, on the other hand, are demanding that the minimum wage be fixed at Tk 8,000.

“Garment is a national industry. Those going against this industry will be considered as anti-national,” said Alamgir.

“Any outside force trying to create unrests in the sector will be contained with all force. The law enforcing forces have been instructed accordingly.”

The government formed the wage board in May in the face of persistent workers’ unrest over wages, which rights activists say are too measly to meet daily expenses.

The wage board has so far failed to fix a new wage structure.

A huge difference in the minimum salary demanded by the workers and what garment factory owners are ready to pay has led to the violent protests.

Garment factories in Savar, Gazipur and Narayanganj have witnessed bouts of violence in the past five days as workers demonstrated to press for a wage hike.

“Wage fixed by the wage board could be received by the end of November. Nobody can either protest or create unrest until the wage board proposed a new wage structure,” said Alamgir.

“If the garment industry is closed, it will affect the interest of the owners and the workers as well. So everyone should wait until the new wage structure is announced.”