Leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) sat for a reconciliation meeting on Wednesday with leaders of the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) over repression on Bhaluka (Mymensigh) labour activists.
Representatives of owners of five RMG factories of Valuka and victim activists also attended the meeting at the BGMEA building at Kawran Bazar in the capital. The meeting reached a settlement of the issues of repression on labour activists, who were also dislodged from their houses, and were dismissed from job, meeting sources told The New Nation on Thursday.
BGMEA Vice-President Shahidullah Azim, BKMEA Acting President Mohammad Hatem Ali and Managing Director of Pioneer Knitwear BD Ltd Badsha Mia, PA Knit factory’s Director Abul Khair, Orion Knit Textiles General Manager Abul Bashar, Liz Fashion factory’s General Manager Zakir Ahmed and NR Group’s General Manager Md Shoeb represented the owners side while NGWF President Amirul Haque Amin, Advocate Nasim and Md Ellias represented the workers side at the meeting, which lasted for about four hours from 1:00pm.
Victim worker activists Moniruzzaman Monir and Mohammad Swapan, among others, were also present.
The incident of repression on labour activists at Valuka took place on May 21 and the Valuka NGWF office and labour activist Moniruzzaman Monir’s house were allegedly looted by hired goons of five factories on May 22.
The reports of repression on workers at Valuka reached the US Congressmen, who had censured Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed and BGMEA President Atiqul Islam. Tofail was leading a Bangladesh delegation at a meeting at Capitol Hill in Washington DC for withdrawal of the suspension of GSP facilities on Bangladesh products in US Market in the second week of June. Six US Congressmen were present at the meeting.
On return from the USA, Tofail Ahmed and Atiqul Islam, in two separate functions, blamed three labour leaders-BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan, Awami League (AL) leader Roy Romesh Chandra and NGWF President Amirul Haque Amin-of hatching conspiracy against the country.
Atiqul Islam publicly pleaded to bring ‘treason’ charges against the labour leaders while Tofail Ahmed pledged to try them. The news was widely carried by national and international media and created concern in the US government, including the Congress.
The US State Department issued a statement condemning the Bangladesh Commerce Minister and BGMEA President while six senior Congressmen, in a joint letter on June 30, complained to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina against Tofail and BGMEA President that they were intimidating labour activists and violating labour rights. The Congressmen also demanded assurance from the Prime Minister that her government would immediately take legal action against the violators of Valuka incident and protect the trade union members.
Both the sides at the meeting reached a five-point agreement. As per the agreement, all dismissed labour activists will be immediately reinstated or compensated as per law and their safety will be ensured and goons will be neutralized, BGMEA will pay all cost of medical treatment of injured NGWF activists Monir and Swapan, BGMEA and management of Pioneer factory with the assistance from the local administration will cooperate so that the NGWF can run its local office, the owner of Pioneer factory Badhsha Mia will solve the problem regarding Monir’s house and BGMEA will pay compensation for the articles looted from NGWF office and Monir’s house.
When contacted BKMEA Acting President Mohammad Hatem Ali and NGWF President Amirul Haque Amin told this correspondent that they have reached an agreement on Valuka issue at the reconciliation meeting.
