Labour minister urges garment workers to end protests, return to factories
Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury has urged garment workers to return to their workplaces and refrain from further protests and vandalism, saying the government will form a new wage board on Sunday to revise their minimum wages.
“There is no logical reason for factory vandalism or continued protests now,” the minister said at a press briefing on Saturday after a meeting with representatives of the country's two major apparel industry associations at the Labour Building in Bijoynagar, Dhaka.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).
The minister said the decision to form the wage board on November 1 was finalised following nearly five hours of discussions with labour leaders on Friday. Representatives of both associations also agreed to the decision.
He said the meeting also discussed arrangements to ensure that workers receive their monthly wages by the seventh day of each month. Factory owners assured the government that outstanding salaries would be paid as soon as possible, he added.
The minister alleged that groups of outsiders were attempting to create unrest at factories where regular operations were continuing. He called on the media to help identify those instigating unrest and distinguish them from genuine workers through accurate reporting and video footage.
Warning that factory closures and vandalism could disrupt production and exports, Ariful Haque Chowdhury said failure to deliver products on schedule would affect factory owners' earnings and, consequently, their ability to pay workers' wages.
He urged workers to resume work immediately to protect the country's industrial sector and economy.
Labour and Employment Secretary Abdur Rahman Tarfadar, BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem, BKMEA Executive President Fazlee Shamim Ehsan and BGMEA Vice-President Md Rezwan Selim, among other senior officials and industry representatives, attended the meeting.