IndustriALL Bangladesh urges workers to keep factories running
It also demanded Tk25 lakh compensation for the family of worker Russell Howladar, who was killed allegedly by police firing on a protest march on Monday
The IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) has urged garment workers to maintain the factory's production operations while also promoting a peaceful atmosphere amidst the current circumstances.
In a statement, the IBC requested the administration to refrain from taking any oppressive actions, including the filing of lawsuits and resorting to attacks against the workers.
The IBC, an affiliate organisation of global union federation IndustriALL Global Union, and one of the largest platforms of labour organisations in the country with strong presence in the readymade garment sector, demanded Tk25 lakh compensation for the family of worker Russell Howladar, who was killed allegedly by police firing on a protest march on Monday.
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"Necessary legal action should be taken against the police officials involved in the incident," said the statement signed by IBC President Amirul Haque Amin and acting General Secretary Nurul Islam.
The organisation also suspects that certain political factions may be exploiting the current movement aimed at raising garment workers' wages for their personal gain.
"We earnestly urge all political parties to stand in solidarity with the movement for a just and equitable wage increase for garment workers, and refrain from attempting to leverage it for their political interests," said the statement.
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.
