RMG factories reopen amid fear in Gazipur

Readymade garments factory owners started reopening their factories in Gazipur on Saturday following workers’ unrest for six days, with workers seen joining workplaces since the morning.

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh and law enforcement agencies were seen on alert at various points across the districts

Tusuka Group runs its factories in Konabari, Gazipur. Tusuka Group general manger Masum Hossain told Prothom Alo they opened their factories since Saturday morning and workers joined workplace peacefully. Now let us see whether the day passes well, he added.

An official from a RMG factory in Gazipur’s Bhogra area said on condition of anonymity, “We have opened the factory amid a bit of fear. Since workers showed enthusiasm, we hope there would be no more trouble.”

According to the sources at Gazipur industrial police, factories reopened on Saturday. Workers joined workplace peacefully and no workers’ unrest was reported till 10:30am, he added.

Gazipur industrial police's additional superintendent of police told Prothom Alo they have been patrolling in various areas and no unrest has been reported so far.

The government in April established a wage board for setting the minimum monthly wage of garment workers. The representatives of RMG workers in the fourth meeting of the board on 22 October proposed Tk 20,393 as minimum monthly wage. Factory owners' representatives, on the other hand, proposed Tk 10,400 as the minimum monthly wage.

The next day, workers of several factories went on work abstention and demonstrated on highways in Mouchak and Telirchar areas of Kaliakair, Gazipur. The protest later spread out across Gazipur.