Fresh RMG unrest: Workers want Tk25,000 minimum wage or 5-hour work

Worker unrest erupted in the Ashulia industrial area again today, as readymade garment workers protested for a minimum wage of Tk25,000 or a reduction of their working hours to five per day.

Workers of several did not join work after lunch break and joined protests, according to sources at the industrial police. This forced at least 49 factories in the industrial area to shut.

Considering the situation, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) held a meeting with the affected factory owners in the afternoon and decided to release the workers involved with the new unrest with a golden handshake. 

Besides, the government also asked law enforcement agencies to take strict action against miscreants who are influencing the unrest despite having an agreement among the garment owners and labour leaders to comply with workers 18-point demand in presence of four advisers last week. 

Currently, the minimum wage is Tk12,500 fixed in November last year. The 56% hike in the wage was implemented from the start of this year. Besides, the current working hour at apparel factories is 8 hours.

The new demands

On Thursday, apparel workers from Dekko Group factories began protesting, demanding a minimum wage of Tk25,000. Then, today, workers from Envoy Group and IDS Group joined the demonstrations, calling for the new minimum wage or a reduction to a 5-hour workday.

Meanwhile, workers from various factories in Dhaka's Ashulia area blocked roads, demanding the reopening of closed factories and the withdrawal of cases filed against workers.

A female worker from The Rose Dresses Limited told TBS that, in addition to the new minimum wage, they want full basic salary as service benefits if a worker resigns with two months' notice after a year of service, instead of the current 14 days' salary.

She added that if the minimum wage is not set at Tk25,000, they want the first five hours of their nine-hour workday (including one hour for lunch) to be considered regular duty, with the remaining four hours treated as overtime. 

She further said if the wage increase does not happen immediately, they would like to be informed when the government plans to implement it, as the management has not communicated anything to them. 

BGMEA meeting with factory owners 

In a bid to resolve the unrest, the BGMEA met with factory owners and decided to offer a golden handshake to release workers involved in the recent protests, according to meeting sources. 

Citing Section 26 of the Labour Law, which permits termination with 120 days' notice, workers will receive four months' basic salary, the full salary for the final month, and one basic salary for each year of service, even if incomplete. 

BGMEA Senior Vice-President Abdullah Hil Rakib told TBS that factory owners had already agreed to an 18-point demand from workers. 

"Those continuing to protest with new demands will be seen as obstructing factory operations, and actions will be taken against them as per the law," said. 

Some protesters have been identified, and a list has been given to law enforcement, he added.

Ashulia unrest: 49 factories shut

Garment workers blocked the Baipal-Abdullahpur road in Ashulia's Zirabo area this morning, calling out fellow workers from nearby factories by throwing bricks and stones.

A worker from Beq Knit Limited, part of the Lusaka Group, told TBS, "On 9 September, the factory owners filed a case against 27 workers and several unnamed individuals at the Ashulia police station. Later, the workers protested demanding withdrawal of the case. The factory reopened last Thursday, and the management promised to hand us the case withdrawal documents. However, they did not provide those.

"When we came to the factory this morning, we found it closed under section 13(1) of the labour law," he added. 

The section 13 (1) of the labour law entails that an employer may, in the event of an illegal strike in any section or department of any establishment, close down either wholly or partly such section or establishment. 

A protesting worker from Mondol Knitwear Limited told TBS, "Local thugs have been attacking us on behalf of the factory owners since Thursday, dragging them away and beating them. We are protesting against this."

However, when asked for specific details about which workers were attacked or taken away, the worker could not provide any concrete information.

Meanwhile, according to industrial sources, by 12pm production activities had been halted in a total of 49 factories in the Ashulia industrial area today.

Among these, 12 factories were closed under section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labor Law, while 37 factories were either open but not operating or had declared holidays.

There are 1,863 factories under the jurisdiction of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, the majority of which are garment factories.