IndustriALL suspects political parties taking benefit of RMG unrest

The IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC), the Bangladesh chapter of a global alliance of 18 labour organisations, suspects the political parties are utilising the current labour movement for their benefit.

Amirul Haque Amin, president of IBC, expressed the suspicion today in a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporter's Unity today.

Many of the people who took part in the recent violent activities in Gazipur and Ashulia were not garment workers, he said.

Moreover, some of them were under 18 years of age, who can never be garment workers, as no garment factory in Bangladesh allows child labour, he said.

The suspicion came when Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jatiya Party supported the labours' demand to raise the minimum RMG wage, Amin said.

In the recent wage board meeting, the labourers' organisations proposed raising the minimum wage to Tk 20,393 while the factory owners recommended giving Tk 10,400.

The owners' proposal to give such a low wage is the main reason of the labour unrest, Amin said in a written speech.

A vested group is trying to use it politically, he said, and urged the labours not to vandalise any factory and do unrest on the roads.

"The wage board is yet to announce the minimum wage, so have patience."

Nurul Islam, acting secretary general of the IBC, and Kawsar Ahmed Palash, a leader of Bangladesh Jatiya Sramik League, the labour wing of Bangladesh Awami League, also attended the press briefing.