Outsiders are trying to create anarchy in the name of movement. Tough steps must be taken to save factories, workers
- AF Hassan Ariff, Adviser, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives
AL people are behind the workers' unrest. Action will be initiated against them
- Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Adviser, Ministry of Labour and Employment
The workers of different garment factories in Savar and Ashulia have been protesting for various demands since last week. The owners have recently accepted some of their demands. However, the owners said that it is not possible to accept all the demands of the workers at this time.
Meanwhile, workers protested in Zirabo, Ghoshbagh, Sarkar Market, Narsinghpur, Nischintapur and Pallibiddyut areas of Ashulia yesterday demanding approval of all the demands of the workers. At least 60 garment factories have been declared closed in the face of the movement. As a result, a general holiday was declared in the garment factories.
In mean time, workers of some factories made some noise after the announcement of the holiday. As a result, the workers of different factories protested in front of the factory and on the road.
It was known that thousands of garment workers of Ha-Meem Garments joined work in the morning. Later, a sudden general holiday was declared in their factory. When the workers of Ha-Meem went in front of Sharmin Garments, the workers of the factory also came out. Later, a general holiday was declared in all the garment factories in Zirabo, Ghoshbagh, Narsinghpur and Nischintapur areas.
Ashulia Industrial Police-1 Superintendent of Police Sarwar Alam said the workers joined work in the morning. Later, when a large garment factory gave a holiday, thousands of garment workers took to the streets. At least 60 more garment factories declared a general holiday. No major disturbances have been reported so far.
The SP said that the factory authorities accepted some of the demands of the workers in front of us and the army. Now they are saying that they cannot accept the demands of the workers. The workers were agitated. However, they were persuaded to remove them from the road.
Meanwhile, a meeting was held in the conference room of the Home Ministry with Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury in the chair. After the meeting, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Adviser AF Hassan Ariff said that strict action should be taken against some people to save factories, workers and the country's economy.
He said, "We had a meeting today about the labor unrest that is happening all around. We are getting news that genuine labourers will not burn their houses because here is their livelihood. It was done by outsiders. You (workers) obstruct them, if you stop them, we will be with you. They are so intertwined that it is difficult to separate them.
The local government adviser said, "The real workers are not doing any such chaos. They will not destroy (workers) where their livelihood is. If the local factory is destroyed, then who will benefit? So the workers are not creating any chaos. Most of those who do are outsiders. We have to be a little tough on how to deal with them. We have kept in mind that it is natural that the government will never use force against its citizens. But now such a situation has arisen that strict action will have to be taken against some of the factories, workers and the country's economy to be saved. We had discussions about that.
Asked what kind of steps will be taken, he said, "We have to think more about that. They can be arrested or detained. If 50 people sit on the road, 5 lakh people will be bothered. So if we have to use force, batons, water cannons to remove them, we will do it."
After the meeting, Labour and Employment Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan said outsiders, including Awami League (AL) men, were behind the labour unrest in different places. Action will start against them from today. We have held several meetings with the owners and workers about the unrest. Our industry advisor is also talking. We have come to know from all the labor leaders that the movements that are happening now, the labor leaders themselves do not understand the nature of these movements as there is no specific demand coming up here. No specific clause is available.
He also said, "Those who usually do labor movement are not there either. There is a plethora of outsiders. In some places, the owners are delaying the payment of salaries, which is why there is a movement. There are some specific factories where the owners have fled. There was some dissatisfaction. We are addressing them, the government has announced soft loans for them. Its scope will be widened."
Asif Mahmud said, "Labor leaders told me that they walked there and they saw that many of them wearing helmets who may hire with money. Those who are committing terrorism over the jute business, the syndicates that AL people used to handle, they have left them. I said yesterday that the government will take stern action against those who are trying to grab them and are committing terrorism there.
The advisor also added that locally, there is AL in some places. We have got some involvement of some local BNP leaders. We are talking to the central leaders of BNP in this regard, so that they restrain them. We will take a tough stance against the locally influential AL leaders who are still there. The adviser said they would be arrested on the basis of information available with the Home Ministry. Police will take action for the public suffering that has been created there.
ZH
