Kazi Zahidul Hasan :
Law enforcing agencies have launched a wide-ranging crackdown on the labour right activists and the labour leaders amid labour unrest in Ashulia garment industrial zone.
Detectives have already detained seven labour leaders for their alleged involvement in fuelling labour unrest.
They are: Shamim Khan,
Soymita Kumar Das, Al Kamran, Mizanur Rahman Mizan, Rafiqul Islam Sujon, Ibrahim Hossain and Shakil Khan. Later, they were taken to Savar Detective Branch (DB) office for interrogation, reports our Savar correspondent quoting police.
Police are preparing to frame charges against them for reportedly disturbing ‘industrial harmony and social order.’
Police are looking for more right activists who were believed to have been involved in influencing workers for Ashulia factory strikes.
Detective Branch of Police on Thursday morning picked up President of Garment Worker Unity Forum Mushrefa Mishu from Topkhana Road around 11:30am and took her to Detective Branch office in Dhaka. “Mishu had a programme to attend a press conference of Garments Sramik Adhikar Andolan. As soon as she got down from her vehicle, Detective Branch of Police picked her up and took her away,” Finance Secretary of Garment Worker Unity Forum Shahidul Islam Sabuj told The New Nation yesterday.
“We did not detain her (Mishu). She was just invited to a cup of tea at detective branch office ‘just for talks about labour unrest,’ Monirul Islam, Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police told media. Mishu was freed in the evening from DB office.
“We have information that a vested quarter and some labour leaders are trying to destabilize the Ashulia garment industrial area afresh. They are instigating the workers to abstain from work and start demonstration by adopting unfair means to create a ruthless unrest there,” Assistant Superintendent of Police of Savar Circle Nazmul Hasan Firoz told The New Nation on Thursday.
“Tripartite discussion is on to bring back working atmosphere in the closed factories. The issue will be settled within a day or two,” he hoped.
Denouncing the crackdown on workers and right activists, labour leader Nazma Akhtar told The New Nation yesterday that they were actively working to assist the workers in understanding their rights and to hold negotiation with the factory managements.
“Strikes take place time and again due to lack of effective collective bargaining agents at the factory levels and proper understanding,” she said. Nazma Akhtar continued to say that the factory owners not only violate the associational rights, but also effectively deprive the workers of collectively establishing their rights at work.
“Labour organizations and right activists are advocating for workers rights, but the authorities have responded harshly with arrests and intimidation. This should be stopped,” she said.
Regarding the ongoing labour unrest, Nazma Akhtar said, they have the right to demand for wage hike as apparel workers in Bangladesh are lowest paid in the manufacturing world.
On Tuesday, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) announced closure of 55 apparel factories in the Ashulia area for an indefinite period in the wake of labour unrest.
“Tension still prevails there that led to closure of at least 84 apparel units so far. Over two lakh workers are working in these factories,” an official of BGMEA told The New Nation on Thursday.
Sources said, apparels workers in Ashulia started work abstention from December 12 to press home their 12-point demands, including an increase in their minimum wage to the tune Tk 16,000 only.
Ashulia is the home of at least 800 high-ranking apparel units, which produce clothing for reputed global apparel brands and retailers. “We have tried to resolve the present crisis through intense discussion with apparel sector’s stakeholders for the last one week. But the workers did not return to their workplaces, making our efforts futile,” M Siddiqur Rahman, President of BGMEA told The New Nation yesterday. “We would not initiate further talks about the issue. However, the closed factories would go to production when the workers return,” he said. Meanwhile, police on Thursday arrested acting Chairman of Savar upazila Mini Akhter Urmi over instigating workers in Ashulia garment factories.
Mini Akhter Urmi, also a BNP leader of the upazila, was arrested from Yaarpur union of Ashulia. “She (Urmi) has already been produced in a court,” said Dhaka District Superintendent of Police Shah Mizan Shafiur Rahman confirming the arrest.
Law enforcing agencies have launched a wide-ranging crackdown on the labour right activists and the labour leaders amid labour unrest in Ashulia garment industrial zone.
Detectives have already detained seven labour leaders for their alleged involvement in fuelling labour unrest.
They are: Shamim Khan,
Soymita Kumar Das, Al Kamran, Mizanur Rahman Mizan, Rafiqul Islam Sujon, Ibrahim Hossain and Shakil Khan. Later, they were taken to Savar Detective Branch (DB) office for interrogation, reports our Savar correspondent quoting police.
Police are preparing to frame charges against them for reportedly disturbing ‘industrial harmony and social order.’
Police are looking for more right activists who were believed to have been involved in influencing workers for Ashulia factory strikes.
Detective Branch of Police on Thursday morning picked up President of Garment Worker Unity Forum Mushrefa Mishu from Topkhana Road around 11:30am and took her to Detective Branch office in Dhaka. “Mishu had a programme to attend a press conference of Garments Sramik Adhikar Andolan. As soon as she got down from her vehicle, Detective Branch of Police picked her up and took her away,” Finance Secretary of Garment Worker Unity Forum Shahidul Islam Sabuj told The New Nation yesterday.
“We did not detain her (Mishu). She was just invited to a cup of tea at detective branch office ‘just for talks about labour unrest,’ Monirul Islam, Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police told media. Mishu was freed in the evening from DB office.
“We have information that a vested quarter and some labour leaders are trying to destabilize the Ashulia garment industrial area afresh. They are instigating the workers to abstain from work and start demonstration by adopting unfair means to create a ruthless unrest there,” Assistant Superintendent of Police of Savar Circle Nazmul Hasan Firoz told The New Nation on Thursday.
“Tripartite discussion is on to bring back working atmosphere in the closed factories. The issue will be settled within a day or two,” he hoped.
Denouncing the crackdown on workers and right activists, labour leader Nazma Akhtar told The New Nation yesterday that they were actively working to assist the workers in understanding their rights and to hold negotiation with the factory managements.
“Strikes take place time and again due to lack of effective collective bargaining agents at the factory levels and proper understanding,” she said. Nazma Akhtar continued to say that the factory owners not only violate the associational rights, but also effectively deprive the workers of collectively establishing their rights at work.
“Labour organizations and right activists are advocating for workers rights, but the authorities have responded harshly with arrests and intimidation. This should be stopped,” she said.
Regarding the ongoing labour unrest, Nazma Akhtar said, they have the right to demand for wage hike as apparel workers in Bangladesh are lowest paid in the manufacturing world.
On Tuesday, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) announced closure of 55 apparel factories in the Ashulia area for an indefinite period in the wake of labour unrest.
“Tension still prevails there that led to closure of at least 84 apparel units so far. Over two lakh workers are working in these factories,” an official of BGMEA told The New Nation on Thursday.
Sources said, apparels workers in Ashulia started work abstention from December 12 to press home their 12-point demands, including an increase in their minimum wage to the tune Tk 16,000 only.
Ashulia is the home of at least 800 high-ranking apparel units, which produce clothing for reputed global apparel brands and retailers. “We have tried to resolve the present crisis through intense discussion with apparel sector’s stakeholders for the last one week. But the workers did not return to their workplaces, making our efforts futile,” M Siddiqur Rahman, President of BGMEA told The New Nation yesterday. “We would not initiate further talks about the issue. However, the closed factories would go to production when the workers return,” he said. Meanwhile, police on Thursday arrested acting Chairman of Savar upazila Mini Akhter Urmi over instigating workers in Ashulia garment factories.
Mini Akhter Urmi, also a BNP leader of the upazila, was arrested from Yaarpur union of Ashulia. “She (Urmi) has already been produced in a court,” said Dhaka District Superintendent of Police Shah Mizan Shafiur Rahman confirming the arrest.
