Dhaka: Labour and Employment Adviser Brigadier General (Rtd) Dr. M Sakhawat Hussain announced that the government plans to settle the unpaid dues of workers by selling the properties of factory owners who fled the country following the July uprising. This move includes liquidating their houses, cars, and lands.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Sakhawat revealed that many ministers and members of parliament from the previous government have escaped abroad. Initiatives are being undertaken to ensure workers receive their dues through the sale of these assets. Additionally, efforts are underway to issue red alerts via Interpol to repatriate the absconding factory owners who left without compensating their laborers.
The remarks were made as Sakhawat addressed a shadow cabinet focused on improving worker-owner relations to safeguard labor rights. The event, organized by Debate for Democracy, was held in commemoration of May Day 2025. Sakhawat emphasized the importance of fostering a positive relationship between owners and workers, stating that while they stand in support of workers, it is also crucial to consider the welfare of the owners to achieve unity between the two groups.
Sakhawat attributed the failures in the industrial sector to past criminalization, where factory owners were also political leaders and lawmakers, leading to exploitation and mismanagement. He noted that workers participated in the July movement alongside students as a response to their prolonged exploitation.
The adviser criticized the government’s negligence in the Rana Plaza incident and described the rescue of a female worker, Reshma, from the debris after 17 days as a “planned drama.”
The event also featured Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment A H M Shafiquzzaman as the special guest, with Hassan Ahamed Chowdhury Kiron, Chairman of Debate for Democracy, presiding over the function.