Garment Union Press Release 21.5.2010

Huge Public Meeting of Garment Workers

Bangladesh Garment Worker to go on nationwide strike if authorities fail to fix Taka 5000 as minimum wage and ensure pro-rata increase by 27^th July

Garment Workers Trade

Union Center

GTUC

Leaders of Garment Workers Trade Union Center declared that they will go for united nationwide strike if authorities fail to fix taka 5,000/= about US $ 71 (per month) as minimum wage and ensure pro-rata increase in other wage levels by July 27. The Government has formed a Minimum Wage Board for fixation of wages of garment workers within 27^th July.

This was declared at a huge workers meeting at, Muktangon the center of capital city Dhaka , in the afternoon of May 21. Presided over by Idris Ali, President Garment Workers Trade Union Kendra (center) the meeting also demanded realization of 10 point demands including increase in wages, benefits according to law, supply of essential commodities at fare price and rationing system, housing, education, medical treatment, work place safety, real trade union rights,adequate supply of gas and electricity for uninterrupted production.

Addressing the massive meeting Manzurul Ahsan Khan, a veteran Trade Union Leader, adviser to GTUC and President Communist Party of Bangladesh said that about 3 million garment workers 80 percent being young women are the lowest paid workers in Bangladesh . Even in comparison to workers in Vietnam , China and India garment worker salary in Bangladesh is very low. Criticising the present government he said that on the plea of price rise the government has doubled the salaries of Ministers, MP’s and high officials and totally ignored the demands of garment workers who are the most affected due to price rise. The speakers at the meeting terming government shameless demanded that enhanced salary should be postponed until the garment workers are paid increased wages.

Manzur further said that unless employers and govt. ensure unfettered trade union rights and encourage culture of negotiations, bipartite and tripartite settlement, sporadic unrest and wild cat strike can’t be stopped. Suppression of workers movement by dismissal, police repressions and assault of workers by hired hoodlums will further aggravate the situation.

Referring to national and international conspiracy against garment industry Manzur alleged that the govt and employers are trying to victimize genuine trade union activists. Some dubious organizations with huge foreign funding involved in doubtful activities are being spared by authorities due to intervention of foreign powers. He said during last Army backed Caretaker Govt. One leader of such an organization was arrested on definite charges but he had to be released immediately due to pressure from US State Department. Manzur also mentioned that the Prime Minister herself alleged that the Garment Owner was responsible for the tragic incident in Nippon Garment. But later cases were lodged not against the owner but against the leaders of GTUC and some other TU leaders.

The CPB President Manzur alleged the govt. gives tip service to garment industry but has done very little for this rising sector which account for the biggest share in industrial export. The new entrepreneurs of garment industry face obstacles at different steps of import, export and transportation. They also face extortionists and mafia bosses some times backed by ruling party leaders. Production suffers badly due to lack of electricity and gas. He called upon the workers and owners of industries to build up joint struggle against all obstacles on the way to higher production.

Shahidullah Choudhury President BTUK said that all national trade unions and federations have demanded Tk5000/00 as national minimum for all workers.National federation will build united movement for realisation of national minimum.He said if you can build up united movement I am sure you will win. BTUK will be behind you.

The meeting attended by thousands of workers was also addressed Adviser GTUC Advocate Mantu Ghose, General Secretary K.M Ruhul Amin, Joly Talukder, Sadequr Rahman Shamim, Ziaul Kabir Khokan, Tuhin Choudhury, Iqbal Hossain, Aklima Akhter Doly, K. M. Mintu, Nasima Akhter, Sirajul Islam, Ilias Ahmed Nipu, Lutfur RahmanAkash and other Garment workers.

The leaders called upon all the Trade Unions of garment workers with different orientation to unite in the struggle for realizing the common demands. The leaders also said that GTUC slogan in “save the workers, save the industry and save the country. They called upon garment workers to unite and resist hoodlums and mafia bosses who seize every opportunity to create chaos and anarchy and resort to arson looting and plunder in d industrial areas to settle their own scores with different garment owners.

Sd/

Joly Talukder

Office Secretary

GTUC

Speech by MAK, President CPB on 12.5.10 in Hanoi at the International Conference on "HO CHI MINH'S LEGACY IN THE PRESENT ERA"

Speech by Manzurul Ahsan Khan President Communist Party of Bangladesh

on 12 th May 2010 in Hanoi at the International Conference on
“ HO CHI MINH’S LEGACY IN THE PRESENT ERA”

organized by Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration Hanoi 12-13 May
120th Birth Anniversary
2010

Respected Members of the Presidium

Dear Comrades and Friends,
We gather here to pay homage to an outstanding leader of Vietnamese people, a patriot and revolutionary, a man of undaunted courage and determination who lead successfully the national liberation movement and founded the first Worker Peasant State in South Asia, advancing towards socialism.

Comrade Ho Chi Minh was not only the leader of Vietnam he was a true internationalist, who also directly participated in the struggle for peace, freedom, democracy and socialism while he was living in different corners of the world.

Imperialism and its lackeys carried out horrendous crime against humanity in the soils of Vietnam. The US imperialism who boasts of democracy and human rights wanted to bomb Vietnam to Stone Age, killing all life forms and destroying what ever was created by Vietnamese civilization during many centuries.

But Ho Chi Minh declared: we have to win independence even if the Truong Son Mountain burns.

The indomitable courage, enormous sacrifice, protracted and heroic struggle of the people of Vietnam lead by the Communist Party and its inspiring leader Comrade Ho Chi Minh defeated the worlds most powerful and aggressive imperialist power, the USA. Comrade Ho Chi Minh the beloved leader a great patriot and revolutionary, a poet, dreamer and visionary foiled all colonial and imperialist plans and instead laid the foundation of Vietnams advance towards golden age.

As in War so in peace the Socialist Republic of Vietnam rose from ashes to rebuild the country and since then made tremendous progress in agriculture, industry, construction, export etc. achieving growth rate surpassing almost all.

Vietnam is an inspiring example to people all over the world fighting for independence and social progress.

In Bangladesh our people fought a heroic war of independence against colonial type of rule. The occupation forces perpetrated genocide. We took up arms. We organized guerilla warfare. It was the example of Vietnam the valour of its People’s Army which inspired us. When sometimes death and defeat overtook us the perseverance and endurance of your fighters shined before us. We said to ourselves if Vietnam can, so can we!

I was a commander of the Special Guerilla Force organize by the Communist Party of Bangladesh. Like many others in combat, I read General Giap and learnt to apply his tactics in real fight. Ever since our struggle for independence, democracy, peace and socialism, solidarity to Vietnam was the cornerstone of our internationalist tasks. Two of our comrades died in police firing on 1st January 1973 in Dhaka while demonstrating against U.S. bombing in Hanoi.
Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh symbolizes people’s heroic struggle for a just cause, uncompromising fight against imperialism and hegemony. It symbolizes national liberation and socialism. Vietnam symbolizes Victory. Victory of Vietnam was also the victory of National Liberation Movements, and forces of peace freedom and socialism. It was a shameful defeat for imperialism and international reaction.

But today when we are meeting here imperialism is becoming more aggressive and desperate. We are witnessing the most severe and deep crisis of capitalism in the U.S. and melt down of a global scale. Plunder, war, militarisation, arms trade, gambling, machination of the multinationals, speculations, manipulation of currency, overwhelming chaos, bankruptcy is the order of the day.

The fundamental contradiction of Capitalism is blowing up with catastrophic impact. The bourgeois state is bailing out big money, with public money. But the big money is responsible for this crisis. Public at large and developing countries are suffering. Poverty hunger, joblessness, reduction of social benefits and services etc are haunting common masses every where.

Never before mankind had the potentiality to produce enough to provide food, clothes, shelter education and health for all. Never before mankind developed arms and weapons which can destroy all life forms in earth several times over. Forces of imperialism and hegemony are waging wars against many countries, provoking strife, conflict and arms race with a view to control and plunder resources and wealth of various countries. The United States of America has unleashed war and terror in the name of fighting the fundamentalist and terrorism. They are propagating the theory of limited sovereignty and pre-emptive attack. We are witnessing a process of re-colonisation.

Today mankind again stands at cross roads. On the one hand immense possibility to eradicate the miseries of people, bring abundance and ensure a free society for free men. On the other hand destruction, plunder and degradation of the environment and enslavement of people.

Here again Ho Chi Minh is relevant who said: it is better to sacrifice everything than to live in slavery.

Ho Chi Minh combined national liberation with socialism.Ho Chi Minh was an active leader of International Communist Movement. Today Communists all over the world must close their ranks to face the danger faced by mankind. Communists, progressives, patriots and peace loving forces of the world must unite to build up a global struggle against the global onslaught of imperialism.

The struggle for Freedom, Peace,Progress and Socialism are inseparable. Uncle Ho, your beloved leader, and also our revered leader will continue to shine our path of struggle for the emancipation of mankind.