‘We’ll not get dues even if we die’

Initially her apprehension was about not being able to celebrate Eid with families if outstanding salaries and bonus were not paid to her before the festivity.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 31 July 2014, 02:24 PM
Updated : 31 July 2014, 03:51 PM

After four days of hunger strike, garment worker Ruma Begum fears she would not get her dues even if she died of starvation.

She is among the three hundred-odd workers of the five garment factories of Tuba Group who were on hunger strike, since eve of the Eid, demanding their last three months’ outstanding salaries and bonus.

She was lying on a table at the finishing room on the sixth floor of the Badda Hossain market along with many other co-workers, who are sustaining on saline drips.

As their strike lingers, number of workers falling sick are also increasing. Due to weakness many workers are falling asleep on the table at the finishing room.

Voices of those dejected workers sitting on the benches, tables or on the floors too were becoming feeble.

Ruma in a frail voice told bdnews24.com, “I have been compelled to take saline as I have become very weak. I think we will not get our dues even if we die. Isn’t it?”

Some doctors of Progressive Doctors’ Forum were treating the workers, who were getting sick due to their continued hunger strike, on the factory premises itself.

Coordinator of the forum, Dr Mujibul Haque Arju said since the beginning of the hunger strike they had administered saline to 60 workers, of them 23 were put on drip since Thursday morning to afternoon.
A volunteer and a member of the Liberation Council Ahmed Mahiuddin said a worker named Doli had been admitted to Badda General Hospital after she fell sick.
Even on the fourth-day of the hunger strike there had been no efforts from the owners, BGMEA or the government to clear the dues of the workers.
A worker of the Tuba Group’s Taif Design Humayun Kabir lamented, “Poor needs to struggle to get their dues. Those who are leaving in luxury with the money earned through our sweat do not even bother to pay us. Government can do everything, except ensuring payment of our salaries.”
Sewing Supervisor of Tuba fashion M Naser said, “Our wages used to be deducted if we were little late in finishing our task. Now that we are suffering without salaries for months, for this, whom do we penalise?”
Workers are staging their protest on the sixth floor of the twelve storied Hossain Market. Police’s water cannon and patrol vehicles were parked outside the building. Police personnel were seen idling away their time near and behind the market.
Deputy Commissioner of the police’s Gulshan Zone said, “We are trying our best to ensure that workers get their dues. A final decision to this regard will be taken by BGMEA and the factory owners.”
He described the suffering of the workers as “inhuman.”
Meanwhile, workers have vowed to continue their agitation despite their falling health.
Cutting Supervisor of Tuba Fashion Mujibur Rahman said, “If need be we will give our life to realize our rights.”
Due to the workers agitation Laili Begum, mother-in-law of the owner of the Tuba Group has been confined to a packaging room on the eighth floor of the building since last Friday. She has been surviving on the foods and clothes provided by the workers.
A worker Mujibur Rahman said they were not mistreating “Laili aunty.”
Apart from providing meals three times a day, the lady workers even arranged for her bathing, he said.
Workers’ only request to Laili Begum was that she should persuade the chairperson of the group, her daughter Mahmuda Aktar Mita, to soon clear their dues.
Laili was optimistic that her daughter would soon free her by clearing the outstanding salaries of the workers.
“I request all my family members to take me from here by immediately paying the dues of the workers. Though my daughter has not yet come to see me here, I am quite sure she would soon take me from here after arranging the money to pay the salaries of the workers.”