Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 707 Fri. May 26, 2006  
   
Front Page


Factories restart with thin presence of workers


Production in garment factories in the city and on its outskirts including Dhaka EPZ resumed yesterday amidst tight security after three days of vandalism and arson by workers agitating to realise their 11-point demand.

The resumption of work followed a tripartite meeting among the government, BGMEA and trade union leaders on Wednesday night.

No untoward incident was reported yesterday and presence of workers was much less than usual.

Many workers had left for their homes in the wake Monday's violence fearing arrest and because some of the torched factories were declared closed for an indefinite period, throwing their employees into a state of uncertainty.

Law enforcement agencies including Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Armed Police Battalion (APBn), riot police and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) have been deployed at most of the garment units.

Meanwhile, normalcy returned at the factories both in and outside the EPZ (export processing zone) at Ashulia and Savar. Attendance of workers however varied from factory to factory as many of them have gone home. Workers' attendance was lower in factories outside the EPZ.

Factory authorities hoped all workers would join duty by tomorrow and normal production would start.

While most of the factories outside the EPZ have resumed operation, a small number of those remained closed yesterday for reconstruction or fearing further violence.

The owners of the factories have assured the employees of full payment of wages for this month despite the disruption of production.

"Though our investors are worried about the incidents in the last few days, the situation is normal now. Our workers were not involved in violence," said Kamal Akhtar, general manager of the EPZ.

"We have decided to grant leave for workers who are absent today (Thursday). We have not marked them absent as we know our workers had no links to last three days' violence, " said GM Hannan, manager (administration) of A-One (BD) Ltd, which was set on fire on Monday.

About 61,215 workers out of 64,318 yesterday joined duty in 81 factories out of 84 at the EPZ, including its extension. As the workers started turning up at the EPZ main entrance early in the morning, the authorities asked them over microphone to carry identity card or gate pass with them.

Three factories-- Leni Fashion, GB Garment and Crylon -- declared vacation to let the situation turn normal.

The owners visited their factories yesterday and asked the officials to make an estimate of the losses for submission to the authorities concerned and the insurance companies.

Representatives from insurance companies also visited the affected factories.

The badly damaged or burnt factories have started reconstruction.

Large contingents of BDR, Rab and police were guarding all important points and factories on Dhaka-Aricha, Dhaka-Baipail-Chandra and Dhaka-Tongi-Ashulia highways and inside the EPZ.

Commerce Minister Hafizuddin Ahmed, State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar and a BGMEA-team yesterday afternoon visited the affected factories including Bando Design Ltd, Envoy Groups and Universe Knitting Factories.

They also visited the factories inside the EPZ.

"We condemned violence at the factories that has not only affected the owners but also the nation and the country. The incidents were designed to tarnish the good image of our industrial sector that earned 76 per cent of our export income," said Hafizuddin. "Action will be taken against the persons involved in the conspiracy, and my ministry will provide assistance to the affected owners."

Babar said, "It is a conspiracy by our competitors to destroy the garment sector in our country. Suspicious persons were seen at the spots of violence and we are working on it. We will protect our country as well as our industry at any cost."

Prof Abdus Shahid, chief whip of the opposition, also visited Savar yesterday.

"Most of the factories resumed operation peacefully and without any untoward incident," said Abdus Salam Murshedi, acting president of the BGMEA.

Most of the garment factories at Tongi, Konabari, Mouchak, Boardbazar and Salna areas in Gazipur also resumed operation, reports a correspondent in Gazipur.

Meanwhile, a Gazipur court yesterday granted bail to trade union leader Mushfeka Mishu. She was produced before the court as she fell sick during a five-day remand.

Picture
A smaller number of workers appear to work at Envoy Fashion, a garment factory in Ashulia on the outskirts of Dhaka yesterday. PHOTO: STAR