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Dhaka: Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said that a review of video footage of the recent garment sector protests found no involvement of ordinary workers or labour leaders, alleging that masked outsiders had infiltrated the demonstrations and created disorder.
He made the remarks at a press conference in the meeting room of the Home Ministry at the Secretariat on Monday afternoon. Earlier in the day, he held separate meetings with leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), followed by a meeting with labour leaders in the afternoon.
Referring to the video footage, the minister said a review of recordings of the protests over the past few days showed no involvement of workers or labour leaders. Instead, masked individuals had infiltrated the demonstrations, he said, adding that they were neither workers nor people connected with the demands raised by the protesters.
“They are the ones creating anarchy on roads in the name of protests,” he said.
The government would take strict action against those involved in creating disorder on roads and highways, the minister warned.
Regarding innocent workers arrested during the unrest, Salahuddin said the government would give special consideration to those who had been caught up in the situation and detained. Necessary measures would also be taken to ensure proper medical treatment for those injured in the incidents, he added.
Urging workers to return to their factories, the minister said the wage board had already been formed and workers should now resume production and return to their workplaces.
“The wage board has been formed. Now return to your industries, go home, resume production and return to your workplaces. Labour leaders will now represent you at the wage board meetings,” he said.
He further said those who continued to block roads deliberately despite the formation of the wage board could not be considered friends of the workers.
At the press conference, Babul Akhter, general secretary of the Sammilita Garments Federation and a member of the wage board, said outsiders had entered factories during the latest protests and forced authorities to declare holidays.
He said people displaced from different areas, political activists and individuals with outstanding dues had also joined the protests.
Warning workers against being misled, Babul Akhter said, “Do not do anything at anyone’s instigation that could harm the industry.”
He said some people were demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk27,000, while others were seeking Tk30,000, Tk32,000 or Tk37,000.
Worker representatives would discuss the issue and finalise a proposal to present at the first meeting of the wage board, he added.
At the same press conference, Nazma Akhter, president of the Sammilita Garments Sramik Federation, also urged workers to return to work without delay.
Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin, and labour leader and lawmaker Shimul Biswas were also present.