‘An industry can survive only if its workers survive’: Jamaat Ameer urges govt to resolve garment wage dispute

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman on Wednesday urged the government to take immediate steps to resolve the ongoing garment workers' unrest, warning that prolonged disruption could inflict further losses on the country's major export sector.

“An industry can survive only if its workers survive,” he said in a video message posted on the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Facebook page.

Shafiqur said garment workers had been protesting in several industrial areas for days, demanding higher wages and other benefits, while unrest had forced many factories to shut down.

He said the rising cost of living had made it increasingly difficult for low-paid workers to make ends meet, stressing that the wage structure needed to be revised through discussions between workers and factory owners.

“The government must fulfil its responsibilities without further delay,” he said, warning that prolonged indecision would increase economic losses and create opportunities for further instability.

Shafiqur also condemned the killing of Taufiq, a garment worker from Gaibandha, in Sreepur, Gazipur, and demanded a fair investigation to bring those responsible to justice as soon as possible.

Describing the garment sector as the country's principal export industry, he warned that any major disruption could have serious consequences for the national economy.

“Opportunists may try to exploit this situation,” he cautioned, calling on the government and all concerned to act responsibly and remain vigilant.

Urging workers to protect their workplaces, the Jamaat chief said he stood by their legitimate demands and called on factory owners to treat workers as members of their own families.

“Cooperation between workers and owners will make it easier to reach a solution,” he said.