Readymade garment factory owners can keep their factories if close as per article 13 (1) of labor law if the workers go into any strike or vandalise the factories.
Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporter Association (BGMEA) president Faruque Hasan said this at a press briefing at the BGMEA meeting room in the city’s Uttara on Sunday.
He said the factory authorities can keep their establishments shut as long as the labour unrest is not subdued and law enforcers are fully able to ensure the safety of the establishments.
He also said every owner has the constitutional right to save its industry and property from the outsiders.
He said the factories have been asked to refrain from recruiting fresh workers since many factories don’t have much work order. New recruitment of workers would create added pressure on the factory.
BGMEA chief also alleged that the RMG industry is being victim of propaganda and rumours on social media.
Terming such propaganda tantamount to treason, the BGMEA president said such smear campaign is tarnishing the image of both the country and the industry.
“The news that broke that three people died in the Epyllion factory is not true at all. We condemn the news,” he said.
Faruque Hasan urged the government to take stern action against those who are involved with spreading such rumour.
On the new minimum wage in the RMG sector set by the government, Faruque Hasan said the wage was Tk 3000 in 2010. The minimum wage was increased to Tk 5300 in 2013 at the behest of prime minister and then in 2018 it was increased further to Tk 8,000.
The minimum wage of the RMG workers saw 316.67 per cent increase between 2010 and 2023, he added.