Sacked workers on the run [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

Sacked workers on the run

Local January 03, 2017

Apparel workers sacked for joining labour unrests at Ashulia industrial belt on the outskirts of Dhaka in December 2016 for pay hike are on the run from law enforcers to avoid arrest while firing of workers continues.
The sacked workers even cannot look for jobs fearing arrests as police are raiding their houses, many sacked workers said.
Although about 150 workers have been named in the 10 cases filed for the labour unrests, all the sacked workers fear arrest as about 1,500 unnamed workers have been made accused in the cases.
Labour leaders and workers said that about 2,000 workers had so far been sacked and the firing of workers continued.
‘At least 2,000 workers were fired and nine labour leaders were arrested,’ said Bangladesh Garment Workers’ Trade Union Centre general secretary KM Ruhul Amin.
At least 1,600 workers of 25 apparel units were sacked till December 26, 2016.
‘About 1,600 workers have been sacked and 10 cases have been filed following the labour unrests till today,’ Dhaka superintendent of police Shah Mizan Shafiur Rahman said at a press conference at Ashulia on December 26, 2016.
The labour unrest started on December 11 demanding Tk 16,000 as minmum monthly wage for apparel worker instead of existing Tk 5,300.
Labour leaders and rights activists blamed the apparel owners for the situation.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, however, on December 26 denied the allegation of firing workers and claimed that they started legal procedure against only 350 workers but police on the same day said that at least 1,600 workers were fired.
Labour leaders and workers said that about 400 workers had been sacked since December 26, when 1,600 workers were sacked and the apparel units continued to sack workers.
Asked about the continued firing of workers, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Siddiqur Rahman told New Age on Monday that individual factory owners were taking legal actions against their workers and firing was a legal action.
He said that the factory owners and the accused workers might take reconciliatory approach for the benefit of both the parties.
Ashulia police station officer-in-charge Mohsinul Kadir said on Monday that 10 cases were filed with the police station accusing 1,500 workers, including 150 named workers, of vandalism, looting, threatening other workers and assaulting factory officials.
The cases included two cases field by police under the Special Powers Act and the Information and Communication Technology Act.
‘Filing of cases against so many unnamed workers became a severe threat to workers, especially the sacked workers, as police might arrest any of them in the cases,’ said Bangladesh Garment Sramik Sanghati president Taslima Akter.
At least 23 people including nine labour leaders and a journalist were arrested in the cases, said Mohsinul Kadir.
He said their drives to arrest the accused continued and lastly they arrested film actor AR Montu in one of the 10 cases at Uttara in Dhaka Sunday night.
‘Many workers are in hiding to avoid harassment and arrest as police and ruling Awami League activists are raiding houses of workers every night,’ said Bangladesh Poshak Sromik Trade Union Federation president Tuhin Chowdhury.
He alleged that police were ‘doing businesses’ out of arrests.
He said that the worker became more helpless to seek legal rights as no labour organisations were now opening their offices at Ashulia after as miscreants vandalised three offices of different labour organisations during the labour unrests.
An abnormal calm situation was observed at Ashulia on Monday while alleged goons were seen at the gate of many factories.
Workers said that they were under scanner and the authorities were allowing no gathering.
Garments Workers Unity Forum president Moshrefa Mishu demanded release of all detained workers and labour leaders and asked questioned the filing of cases against the workers who peacefully demonstrated for wage hike.
‘We still in dark what steps were taken against the workers,’ she said.
She complained that many workers were forced to sign blank papers and threatened to leave the area.
Bangladesh Garment Workers’ Trade Union Centre general secretary KM Ruhul Amin asked withdrawal of all cases against labour leaders and unconditional release of the arrested leaders and workers.