Ashulia RMG factories closed despite ministers' assurance of salary review

Workers of at least 30 apparel factories at Dhaka's Ashulia have continued their strike despite the ministers' assurance of reviewing wages.

They demand a minimum Tk 16,000 as monthly salary instead of the current paltry Tk 5,300.

The resentment has been growing over the last eight days.

Amid the tension, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed recently promised to keep house rents unchanged for the next three years in Ashulia, the area that houses these garment factories on the outskirts of Dhaka. 

At a meeting on Monday, the labour leaders proposed requesting the wage board for reviewing the demand of pay hike, said Garments Workers’ Trade Union General Secretary Khairul Mamun Mintu.

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque attended the meeting held at the residence of Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan.

“The labour leaders have informed these decisions to the workers, but they do not seem to take them seriously,” said Mintu.

The workers’ movement is yet to gain momentum as the leaders have not joined them, but they appear united to continue their agitation, Mintu added.

Workers of at least 25 factories walked out in Ashulia on Monday as a token of protest.

The unrest had been growing among the workers of factories located in Jamgorha, Norshinghopur and Beron areas of Ashulia industrial area.

“The workers want an immediate announcement of a pay hike,” said Garment and Industrial Workers Federation President Rafiqul Islam Sujan.

They have refused to return to work even after the ministers requested them to do so, he said.