Readymade garments’ workers throughout the country will besiege Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (BGMEA) Building in the capital on Tuesday [August 5] to realise unpaid wage and bonus of Tuba Group workers. They will also hold rallies and bring out processions in every RMG industrial area today. President of Garments Workers Unity Forum Moshrefa Mishu announced the programmes at a press briefing at Hossain Super Market on Sunday.Meanwhile, the leaders and activists of Gonotantrik Bam Morcha, which expressed their solidarity with the workers, have announced to lay siege to the Labour Ministry on Monday for the same purpose.Subhrangshu Chakravarty, convener of the Bam Morcha announced this programme.Moshrefa Mishu, in a written statement before the newsmen, requested the country’s all workers and people from all walks of life to unite and participate in their announced programmes.She said that they had been observing hunger strike in a peaceful manner for the last seven days but in vain to realise their demands. For this reason, they have announced the ‘lay-siege’ programme, she said, adding, “It will be a great mistake if the government thinks us weak. Its wrong thought will force us to go tougher movement “.After announcing besiege programme for Monday, Subhrangshu Chakravarty said that they would siege the Labour Ministry at 11:00am to realise the workers’ demands for their arrears.The RMG workers started the fast-unto-death on the seventh floor of Hossain Super Market at Pragati Sarani since July 28.On the other hand, the health condition of at least seven workers deteriorated yesterday, said the medical team working for the workers.Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan and State Minister for Labour and Employment Ministry Mojibul Haque Chunnu on Sunday held a meeting with leaders of RMG workers at BGMEA Bhaban. After a meeting with the government, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (BGMEA) yesterday sought emergency funds from big garment companies to clear the dues of the workers.More than Tk 4.14 crore is needed to pay three months’ arrears and Eid bonus to 1,600 workers of the Group.Both the BGMEA and Tuba management had applied for bank loans to pay the workers. But the applications were rejected for failure to provide a guarantee from Group’s Managing Director Delwar Hossain, who has been in jail since February 9 for his role in Tazreen fire that killed 112 people in November 2012.
