Special Correspondent :
Production resumed across the factories in Savar and Ashulia garment industrial belt on Monday after workers returned to work abandoning a weeklong street protest over pay disparity in their new wage structure.
They joined their workplaces amid tight security measures across the industrial belt. Heavy security deployment has also been reported in the industry-intensive areas in Gazipur.
“Factories in Savar and Ashulia resumed full production on Monday following the government’s announcement of wage review. Over 95 per cent workers’ attendance was reported. We hope workers will again concentrate on their work as disparity in their wage structure has already been addressed,” M Siddiqur Rahman, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (BGMEA) told The New Nation yesterday.
He also urged the workers not to pay heed to any motivated campaign over the wage issue for maintaining peace and stability in the industry.
Earlier, on Sunday, the government announced the new wage structure for apparel workers addressing pay hike disparity after rounds of discussion with the industry owners and trade union leaders.
“Peaceful working condition also prevailed in other key garment industrial belts across the country on Monday with no report of workers protest,” said M Siddiqur Rahman, who threatened to shut all garment factories in the country for an indefinite period on Sunday if the protesting workers do not return to their workplaces by Monday. He also said that many apparel units in Savar industrial zone remained shut following the workers’ protest inviting them to a sudden financial loss. It also causes harm for the industry’s reputation in the global arena.
Bangladesh is the world’s second biggest exporter of clothes after China and its apparel export crossed over US$ 30 billion mark in the last fiscal.
“Workers jointed their work in the morning without any report of agitation. Peaceful working condition also prevailed across the Savar industrial zone,” Shana Shaminur Rahman, Director of Industrial Police-1, told The New Nation.
He said that additional police personnel were deployed in Savar and Ashulia industrial zone to avoid any untoward situation.
“We are happy that the government finally resolved the dispute over the new wage structure,” Shamima Nasrin, a labour leader, told The New Nation.
She said the peaceful working atmosphere will restore in the industry following the government’s move.
“Being a trade union activist, I never support chaotic demonstrations and act of vandalism by the workers. They should uphold peaceful working condition in the industry and not to be involved in irresponsible activities again for the interest of the country,” added Shamima Nasrin.
In September last year, the government raised the minimum monthly wage for RMG workers by around 51 per cent to Tk 8,000 from Tk 5,300. The new wage took effect in December.
But when the workers drew their salary in January, they found huge disparity in the pay hike in most of the wage grades, forcing them to take to the street seeking remedy.
