Minimum wages board for RMG holds first meeting Fresh trouble erupts at DEPZ, forces closure of 87 factories FE Report 6/2/2006
Garment workers staged a violent demonstration in the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) Thursday and a section of workers attacked and beat a number of officials of some apparel units forcing the closure of seven factories. The seven factories that remained closed Thursday are: Ringsign, Shine Fashion, Honour Way Textile and apparels Ltd and Swan Loan, Youngone, Soft-Tex and A-1. Meanwhile, the government has appointed two members for the Minimum Wages Board for the readymade garments (RMG) sector. The members are: former president of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Annisul Huq on behalf of the owners and President of Shammilito Garments Workers Federation Nazma Akhter from the workers side, according to a gazette notification issued Wednesday. The board, headed by former Justice Anwarul Huq, sat in its first meeting Thursday where the two members sought seven days for doing their homework. The board will fix minimum wages for apparel workers. Police sources said several hundred workers of three factories at Konabari, Ziranibazar and Gazipur Sadar Municipal area demonstrated and went on a rampage in support of their eight-point demand, including, among others, the increase of wages. The workers of Anupam Knit Factory broke the windowpanes of the factory. The Superintendent of Police (SP) of Gazipur Md Mafizuddin, along with a large contingent of riot police, rushed to the spot and held a meeting with the workers and the General Manger (GM) of Anupam Knit Factory. The worker of the Titas Garments stopped production of the factory after 12 noon, demanding Tk 400 as attendance bonus. The BGMEA and the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) Thursday blamed some vested international quarters for the continuous labour unrest in the apparel sector in Dhaka and its outskirts. During a meeting with Commerce Minister Hafiz Udin Ahmed Thursday, the BGMEA leaders alleged that an unholy axis was patronising their local agents to create a fresh unrest, despite the fact that the RMG unit owners agreed in principle to fulfill the demands of the workers through a tripartite meeting held at the Ministry of Labour and Employment on May 24 last. "We have agreed to fulfill the demands but a section of workers is trying to create a fresh unrest. A wage board to review the current wage structure has also been formed as per the demand of the workers," President of the BGMEA Tipu Munshi told newsmen after a meeting with Commerce Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Thursday. Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) Zakir Hossain alleged that some international conspirators were involved in the recent labour unrest with a view to destroying the industry. Emerging from the meeting, Commerce Minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that the ministry was monitoring the developments in the RMG sector and would take necessary steps to stop the unrest. Garments are Bangladesh's largest export, fetching more than $6.0 billion a year for the country. The industry has over 4,000 factories and employs nearly two million workers.
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