'Banning strikes in respect to essential services curtails rights of RMG workers'

Photo: Courtesy

The Bangladesh Garments Workers and Employees Federation (BGWEF) has said that banning strikes in respect to essential services curtails the rights of garment workers.

Expressing surprise at the placement of the "Essential Services" bill at the Parliament of Thursday (6 April) BGWEF's President Kamrul Ahsan said, curtailing the rights of workers in the name of public safety cannot be tolerated, reads a press release.

Saying that it undermines internationally recognised principles and nationally protected provisions in constitutions and labour laws, he urged to withdraw this proposal immediately.

A rally and procession of BGWEF was held at 10am Friday in front of the National Press Club in protest against the price hike of daily essentials and for introducing a rationing system for the poor working people.

Paying tribute to the memory of the workers killed and injured in the Rana Plaza collapse in Savar, Kamrul Ahsan expressed surprise at the bail of the main accused in the Rana Plaza workers death case, Sohel Rana, and demanded his punishment.

He also demanded clearing all salary and dues of workers within 20th Ramadan and setting the minimum wage of workers at Tk23,000.

Speakers in the meeting said that due to the continuous increase in commodity prices, the purchasing power of working people has decreased and they are in crisis.

To save the lives of the workers, a rationing system should be introduced for daily essential products including food products at fair prices, said the speakers.

Also present at the event were General Secretary of the organisation Bachchu Mia addressed the gathering, leader of Jatiya Sramik Federation Sabbah Ali Khan Collins, Convenor of Workers Party Mahanagar Dakshin Comrade Kishore Roy, central president of Bangladesh Juba Maitri Touhidur Rahman, central organising Secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra Maitri Imran Noor Nirob, central leaders of BGWEF including Nasimul Ahsan Dipu, Abdullah Zafar, Nazma Akhtar Shirin, Tahir Khatun, Monira Siddiqa, Phul Babu, Shamsul Haque Sohag, Morshed Alam Kawsar, Noorun Nahar Khanam Luna, Suman Mia, Badhan Saha, Manik Hawladar and others.

After the rally, a protest march started from the National Press Club and ended at the Federation office via Topkhana Road.