Staff Reporter:
Labor and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury yesterday announced that Mainland Gar-ments, a concern of Nassa Group, will resume its normal operations from April 8.
The decision came following an emergency meeting held at the Ministry of Labour and Employment with representatives of Nassa Group and relevant government bodies.
The meeting was convened at the directive of the Prime Minister after workers of Mainland Garments staged a road blockade in Tejgaon on April 5, demanding reopening of the factory and resolving out-standing issues.
It is mentionable that the factory had remained closed since after Eid-ul-Fitr, with the authority citing financial difficulties.
Speaking at the meeting, the Labour Minister emphasized the importance of keeping factories operation-al in the interest of employment.
He assured that the ministry would extend all necessary support within the legal framework to help re-sume its production.
Choudhury, also Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister, urged workers to cooperate with the authorities by working an additional hour if needed to boost production and stressed that no worker should face any form of harassment.
Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin said that a factory run by a board of directors cannot be shut down on the grounds of an individual’s absence or legal complications.
He called for timely measures to protect workers’ interests.
Earlier, worker representatives urged government intervention to keep the factory operational and pledged to raise production to its highest level.
Nassa Group Vice Chairman Ranjan Chowdhury highlighted financial and banking complexities faced by the institution and sought government assistance to resolve them.
The meeting was also attended by State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Hoque, Attorney General Md. Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Labor Secretary Md. Abdur Rahman Tarafder, and representatives from the ministries of home, law, finance, as well as BGMEA.
