5:11 pm, Thursday, 14 November 2024
33 Factories Remain Shut in Ashulia, Gazipur

Labour situation improves as RMG owners agree to workers’ demands

  • Bizbd Report
  • Update Time : 05:27:55 pm, Wednesday, 25 September 2024
  • 121

Production resumed in most industrial units in the Ashulia and Gazipur areas on Wednesday, following an improvement in the labour situation after owners agreed to meet workers’ 18-point demands to address the ongoing unrest.

According to the Industrial Police, workers from the majority of factories, both readymade garment and non-RMG, returned to work in the morning across the Ashulia and Gazipur industrial belts.

However, Industrial Police officials informed that authorities of 33 factories in the two industrial zones kept their units closed on Wednesday due to concerns over potential unrest.

Of these, 20 factories were closed under Section 13/1 of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 11 declared a general holiday, and workers at the remaining two factories refused to work upon arrival in the morning.

Section 13/1 of Bangladesh Labour Act states 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 and in cases of such closure the workers participated in the strike shall not be paid any wages.’

Among the closed factories, 25 are ready-made garment units, while the other eight are non-RMG industrial units.

Garment factory owners said that the labour situation improved on Wednesday following their announcement to address the workers’ 18-point demands.

These demands include increases in attendance bonuses, tiffin and night allowances, payment of outstanding wages, and the implementation of the latest wage board award across all factories.

They also said that some factory authorities had kept their units closed out of concern for potential unrest, but if the positive trend continues, they expect all factories to reopen very soon.

Superintendent of Industrial Police Nurani Ferdous Disha on Wednesday informed New Age that 19 factories were closed, comprising 16 ready-made garment units in Ashulia while 14 units, including 10 RMG factories, in Gazipur.

Out of the 19 factories in Ashulia, 14 units, including two non-RMG factories, were closed under Section 13/1 of the Bangladesh Labour Act, while five factories, including three RMG units, declared a general holiday.

In Gazipur, of the 14 closed factories, six units, including three non-RMG factories, were also closed under Section 13/1, and six factories, including one non-RMG unit, declared a general holiday. Additionally, workers at two garment factories refused to work upon arriving in the morning.

Industrial Police officials said that workers in two RMG factories in Gazipur observed a work stoppage due to unpaid wages for August.

They mentioned that payment of dues in some factories could significantly improve the labour situation in the RMG sector.

Unrest in the readymade garment sector began in the last week of August, with demands for increased attendance bonuses and night allowances, payment of outstanding dues, and the implementation of existing wages across all factories, among other issues.

This unrest has continued since then.

The labour ministry, factory owners, and labour leaders have put together an 18-point list of demands reflecting the needs of protesting workers from various RMG factories.

After a meeting with labour adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan and home adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, garment factory owners and labour leaders on Tuesday issued a joint statement agreeing to all the workers’ demands.

33 Factories Remain Shut in Ashulia, Gazipur

Labour situation improves as RMG owners agree to workers’ demands

Update Time : 05:27:55 pm, Wednesday, 25 September 2024

Production resumed in most industrial units in the Ashulia and Gazipur areas on Wednesday, following an improvement in the labour situation after owners agreed to meet workers’ 18-point demands to address the ongoing unrest.

According to the Industrial Police, workers from the majority of factories, both readymade garment and non-RMG, returned to work in the morning across the Ashulia and Gazipur industrial belts.

However, Industrial Police officials informed that authorities of 33 factories in the two industrial zones kept their units closed on Wednesday due to concerns over potential unrest.

Of these, 20 factories were closed under Section 13/1 of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 11 declared a general holiday, and workers at the remaining two factories refused to work upon arrival in the morning.

Section 13/1 of Bangladesh Labour Act states 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 and in cases of such closure the workers participated in the strike shall not be paid any wages.’

Among the closed factories, 25 are ready-made garment units, while the other eight are non-RMG industrial units.

Garment factory owners said that the labour situation improved on Wednesday following their announcement to address the workers’ 18-point demands.

These demands include increases in attendance bonuses, tiffin and night allowances, payment of outstanding wages, and the implementation of the latest wage board award across all factories.

They also said that some factory authorities had kept their units closed out of concern for potential unrest, but if the positive trend continues, they expect all factories to reopen very soon.

Superintendent of Industrial Police Nurani Ferdous Disha on Wednesday informed New Age that 19 factories were closed, comprising 16 ready-made garment units in Ashulia while 14 units, including 10 RMG factories, in Gazipur.

Out of the 19 factories in Ashulia, 14 units, including two non-RMG factories, were closed under Section 13/1 of the Bangladesh Labour Act, while five factories, including three RMG units, declared a general holiday.

In Gazipur, of the 14 closed factories, six units, including three non-RMG factories, were also closed under Section 13/1, and six factories, including one non-RMG unit, declared a general holiday. Additionally, workers at two garment factories refused to work upon arriving in the morning.

Industrial Police officials said that workers in two RMG factories in Gazipur observed a work stoppage due to unpaid wages for August.

They mentioned that payment of dues in some factories could significantly improve the labour situation in the RMG sector.

Unrest in the readymade garment sector began in the last week of August, with demands for increased attendance bonuses and night allowances, payment of outstanding dues, and the implementation of existing wages across all factories, among other issues.

This unrest has continued since then.

The labour ministry, factory owners, and labour leaders have put together an 18-point list of demands reflecting the needs of protesting workers from various RMG factories.

After a meeting with labour adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan and home adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, garment factory owners and labour leaders on Tuesday issued a joint statement agreeing to all the workers’ demands.