Attempts to destabilise RMG sector unfortunate: Raushan
She also urged the workers to remain calm and wait for the wage board's decision
Leader of the opposition and Jatiya Party chief patron Raushan Ershad today denounced the attacks, vandalism and torching of vehicles carried out by garment workers in Gazipur and Savar.
"It is the collective responsibility and duty of all of us to closely monitor the current political situation of the country to prevent any potential impact on our economy," she said in a statement on Tuesday (31 October).
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Raushan said, "We can see the ongoing efforts to sow discord among the workers in our crucial export sector. It is an unfortunate development for our nation."
She extended condolences to the families of the two workers who lost their lives during the labour unrest.
The Jatiya Party chief patron emphasised that workers should not be misled by any agitation until the next wage board establishes a fair salary structure.
She also urged the workers to remain calm and wait for the wage board's decision.
Agitating garments workers have been clashing with police in Gazipur since morning to push home their own demand for a hike in the minimum wage. They vandalised and set fire to police boxes in Safipur and Chandra areas. The RMG workers also launched an attack at a private hospital in Shafipur.
On the other hand, clashes broke out between protesting RMG workers, Awami League activisits and police in Dhaka's Mirpur area since the morning.
Garment workers have been protesting for a week demanding a minimum wage of Tk23,000, despite efforts by the government, workers' leaders, and owners' associations to normalise the situation.
On 21 October, readymade garments factory workers demanded that their minimum wage be increased from the existing Tk8,000 to Tk20,390 while the owners have proposed to increase it to Tk10,400.
On Monday (30 October), at least two people were killed and about 40 injured in massive clashes between police and ready-made garment workers in several industrial areas in Ashulia, Savar, and Gazipur.
Following yesterday's clashes, State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian said the minimum wage for ready-made garments workers would be set higher than that proposed by the factory owners.
