Gazipur:Dhaka Garment workers have resumed work in various industrial zones across the country, including Savar, Ashulia, and Gazipur, after the government's decision to establish a minimum wage board and implement a new wage structure starting December.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, with workers returning, production activities in the readymade garment (RMG) factories are regaining momentum, and traffic in these areas remains normal. The law and order situation is under control, contributing to a stable working environment in the industrial zones.
Workers were observed attending their workplaces in several garment factories located in Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur, Mirpur, Tongi, Narayanganj, and Mymensingh. Particularly in Tongi, Bashan, Konabari, and Sreepur areas of Gazipur, factories operated normally. The situation has also improved in the Savar and Ashulia industrial regions with workers resuming duties.
Chief of Industrial Police and Additional Inspector General Gazi Jasim Uddin noted that the situation in industrial areas is significantly better than before, with workers joining their workplaces in various factories and the overall law and order situation in places like Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur, and Narayanganj remaining under control.
Garment factory owners in Gazipur acknowledged that the government's swift action in forming a wage board has boosted workers' confidence. Workers expressed satisfaction with the government's initiatives, stating they have returned to work with the understanding that wages will increase from December According to new wage board decision.
Amzad Hossain, a worker in Tongi, Gazipur, mentioned the importance of keeping factories operational to maintain job opportunities. Tania, another worker from Gazipur, stated that their factory has continued to operate, with workers returning to their jobs, despite a procession by outsiders in front of the factory.
Labour organizations in Gazipur have called for workers to return to their jobs to resolve labor unrest. Tamiz Uddin Tanu, president of Sramik Mukti Sangram Parishad, Gazipur, emphasized the importance of vigilance to prevent exploitation of workers' movements by any vested parties.
Mohammad Shafiul Alam, from the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation, highlighted the wage board's role in facilitating discussions on workers' demands, aiming for a fair resolution through dialogue.
To ensure a safe working environment, security measures have been enhanced with the deployment of 33 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in and around Dhaka, including Mirpur, Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur, and Narayanganj. Surveillance activities have been bolstered using Armoured Personnel Carriers, Riot Control Vehicles, drones, and body-worn cameras.
In Gazipur, law enforcement personnel are operating under the guidance of 25 executive magistrates, with additional support from Industrial Reserve Police (IRP) and Ansar members, ensuring no reports of disturbances.
Meanwhile, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has instructed banks to freeze accounts of 204 individuals and organizations suspected of financing recent unrest in the garment industry. This directive aims to investigate the allegations, with further scrutiny of transaction details and related accounts.
NBR sources noted that the revenue board's intelligence units have requested banks to identify and freeze the accounts of the listed entities, as part of a broader investigation into the financial underpinnings of the unrest.
Source Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha