Staff Reporter:
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed yesterday said the government is sincere about addressing the reasonable demands of garment workers and determining a minimum wage that would help improve and sustain their living standards, warning against attempts to destabilize the ready-made garment (RMG) sector through instigation and disorder.
“The government is sincerely working to improve the living standards of garment workers. A wage board has already been formed to determine their minimum wage, and its activities have begun. Under these circumstances, there is no scope for creating fresh unrest,” he said.
He made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists after a meeting on shrimp enclosures across the country at the conference room of the Ministry of Land at Bangladesh Secretariat here.
The minister said the government had taken initiatives to address workers’ demands and held discussions with leaders of BGMEA and BKMEA and labour organisations.
He said almost all relevant labour leaders had been consulted and the discussions had been encouraging.
The wage determination process will now proceed through discussions and negotiations between workers’ and employers’ representatives at the wage board, he said.
“The government will also urge the board to determine a minimum wage that is most beneficial to workers and contributes effectively to improving their living standards,” Salahuddin said.
He added that workers’ interests and their cost of living would be given due consideration in the process.
Regarding the closure of some garment factories and workers’ demonstrations on roads, he said the government would take steps to reopen the factories as soon as possible.
However, he warned that attempts by any quarter to provoke workers, carry out attacks or disrupt industrial activities for political purposes would not be tolerated.
“Some quarters may be trying to exploit workers’ grievances to serve narrow political interests and create instability in the industrial sector. The government will deal firmly with such activities,” he said.
He further said intelligence activities and operations by law enforcement agencies would be strengthened to prevent attempts to exploit the situation and undermine industrial stability.
The minister said the government remained committed to protecting workers’ interests, improving their living standards and ensuring uninterrupted industrial production.
He added that while legitimate demands would receive due attention, any attempt to create anarchy or destabilise the RMG sector would invite legal action.
