Demands Acceptance of Their Just Demands.
Leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh and other Left Parties strongly condemned the killing of two garment workers and demanded that the Garment Owners and the Government immediately stop repression on workers, give compensation to families of the dead and the injured, arrange for proper treatment, withdraw all false cases against leaders of garment workers and accept the genuine demands of the workers.
The meeting held at Muktangan, Dhaka in the afternoon was addressed amongst others by Manzurul Ahsan Khan President CPB and a Trade Union veteran, Prof. Abdus Sattar of Workers Party (Reorganised), Bazlur Rashid Feroze coordinator of Democratic Left Alliance, Saiful Huq G.S. Biplobi Workers Party, Moshrefa Mishu G.S. Biplobi Democratic Party a leader of Garment workers, Abdul Matin Talukder of BSD, Jonaid Saki of Gonosanghati Andolon, Badrul Alam and Shamim Imam of DLA,CPB leaders Sahidulla Choudhury,President BTUK Advocate Mantu Ghose,Adviser BGTUK and Ahsan Habib Lavlu.
The leaders said that for the last three days Police, Ansars and local hooligans are carrying on repression and assault on workers of Ashulia area. Atleast two workers were shot dead and a reign of terror has been let loose in the industrial area.
The leaders said the owners of garment factories continue to violate labour laws and refuse even to implement tripartite agreements signed by the owners themselves at different times.
CPB President Manzur said owners backed by Government do not allow the garment workers to form trade unions which is a right guaranteed to them according to law,ILO conventions,ratified by the government and numerous agreements. Due to absence of Trade Unions, grievances of workers remain unattended and they pile up and explode often taking the form of revolt. Despite many such events in the past the workers right to form trade unions is continuosly denied.Any attempt to form trade unions as per law faces severe repraisals,victimisation,police actions and assault by hired hooligans. Rising price and low wages, illegal deduction from wages, non-payment of overtime and arrear wages, misbehaviour of bosses including beating and sexual harassment, victimization for T.U. activities, dismissal, retrenchment and closure , physical assault by hooligans are some of the causes which lead to outburst of labour unrest.
Manzur said that the workers never support looting and setting fire to factories and alleged that whenever the workers come out on the streets to press for their demands,mafia groups consisting of hooligans, extortionists and other miscreants also come out on the streets and resort to arson and lootings and settle their scores with garment owners and opponent groups. It is the same mafia who are involved in extorting huge amount of money from garment owners and business circle under duress. Recently several garment owners and businessmen were killed by such mafia groups. It seems the police and the government donot dare to touch these mafia bosses.
CPB President said two notorious mafia dons one in Ashulia and another in Narayanganj openly move with fire arms and no government dare to touch them. On the other hand some times even the government and the owners used those criminals to suppress workers movement. The mafia don of Ashulia openly declared that he will kill Tuhin and Mintu President and G.S of regional committee of Bangladesh Garment Workers Trade Union Kendra.
Meanwhile in a meeting on the 28th evening with the leaders of various TU of Garment Workers the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturer and Exporters Association BGMEA declared taka 3 lac as compensation for the dead and free treatment for the injured and suspension of all repressive measures. But police and local hooligans continue to terrorise.
The leaders of the Left Parties called upon the government and garment owners to ensure all rights and benefits including right to form trade unions and also to implement minimum wage at the rate of tk. 5000 per month ($63). The leaders also demanded punishment for those responsible for setting fire in a big garment factory and action against police for their mysterious role during arson and lootings.It may be mentioned that the highest foreign currency earning industry of Bangladesh being the Garment Industry employs about 300 thousand workers whose average earnings are the lowest in the region.
Leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh and other Left Parties strongly condemned the killing of two garment workers and demanded that the Garment Owners and the Government immediately stop repression on workers, give compensation to families of the dead and the injured, arrange for proper treatment, withdraw all false cases against leaders of garment workers and accept the genuine demands of the workers.
The meeting held at Muktangan, Dhaka in the afternoon was addressed amongst others by Manzurul Ahsan Khan President CPB and a Trade Union veteran, Prof. Abdus Sattar of Workers Party (Reorganised), Bazlur Rashid Feroze coordinator of Democratic Left Alliance, Saiful Huq G.S. Biplobi Workers Party, Moshrefa Mishu G.S. Biplobi Democratic Party a leader of Garment workers, Abdul Matin Talukder of BSD, Jonaid Saki of Gonosanghati Andolon, Badrul Alam and Shamim Imam of DLA,CPB leaders Sahidulla Choudhury,President BTUK Advocate Mantu Ghose,Adviser BGTUK and Ahsan Habib Lavlu.
The leaders said that for the last three days Police, Ansars and local hooligans are carrying on repression and assault on workers of Ashulia area. Atleast two workers were shot dead and a reign of terror has been let loose in the industrial area.
The leaders said the owners of garment factories continue to violate labour laws and refuse even to implement tripartite agreements signed by the owners themselves at different times.
CPB President Manzur said owners backed by Government do not allow the garment workers to form trade unions which is a right guaranteed to them according to law,ILO conventions,ratified by the government and numerous agreements. Due to absence of Trade Unions, grievances of workers remain unattended and they pile up and explode often taking the form of revolt. Despite many such events in the past the workers right to form trade unions is continuosly denied.Any attempt to form trade unions as per law faces severe repraisals,victimisation,police actions and assault by hired hooligans. Rising price and low wages, illegal deduction from wages, non-payment of overtime and arrear wages, misbehaviour of bosses including beating and sexual harassment, victimization for T.U. activities, dismissal, retrenchment and closure , physical assault by hooligans are some of the causes which lead to outburst of labour unrest.
Manzur said that the workers never support looting and setting fire to factories and alleged that whenever the workers come out on the streets to press for their demands,mafia groups consisting of hooligans, extortionists and other miscreants also come out on the streets and resort to arson and lootings and settle their scores with garment owners and opponent groups. It is the same mafia who are involved in extorting huge amount of money from garment owners and business circle under duress. Recently several garment owners and businessmen were killed by such mafia groups. It seems the police and the government donot dare to touch these mafia bosses.
CPB President said two notorious mafia dons one in Ashulia and another in Narayanganj openly move with fire arms and no government dare to touch them. On the other hand some times even the government and the owners used those criminals to suppress workers movement. The mafia don of Ashulia openly declared that he will kill Tuhin and Mintu President and G.S of regional committee of Bangladesh Garment Workers Trade Union Kendra.
Meanwhile in a meeting on the 28th evening with the leaders of various TU of Garment Workers the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturer and Exporters Association BGMEA declared taka 3 lac as compensation for the dead and free treatment for the injured and suspension of all repressive measures. But police and local hooligans continue to terrorise.
The leaders of the Left Parties called upon the government and garment owners to ensure all rights and benefits including right to form trade unions and also to implement minimum wage at the rate of tk. 5000 per month ($63). The leaders also demanded punishment for those responsible for setting fire in a big garment factory and action against police for their mysterious role during arson and lootings.It may be mentioned that the highest foreign currency earning industry of Bangladesh being the Garment Industry employs about 300 thousand workers whose average earnings are the lowest in the region.
Garment workers being beaten up by hired hooligans
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