New pay for RMG workers to be effective from Nov 1: Labour Minister He asks RMG workers not to be misguided by NGOs; refrain from destructive acts

By AKM Moinuddin

Dhaka, Oct 7 (UNB) – The new wage structure for garment workers that was announced on July 29 will come into effect from November 1 at any cost, Labour, Employment and Expatriate Welfare Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said Thursday.
“We’ll sit before the end of this month with representatives of all the parties involved in the wage board to settle the objections, if any…but the new wage structure will be implemented from November 1,” he said at a function at BGMEA auditorium.
Minister Mosharraf also asked the garment workers to refrain from street demonstration, vandalism, creating anarchy and arson being misguided by NGOs.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) arranged the function to mark the inauguration of the world class Testing Laboratory for the RMG sector, distribution of group insurance cheques among family members of the deceased workers and cheques of stipend among the meritorious students of RMG workers.
Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, Employment and Expatriate Welfare Ministry M Israfil Alam, General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Inditex SA, Antonio Abril Abadin and Spanish Ambassador Arturo Manuel Perez Martinze, among others, attended the function chaired by BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy.
The Minister urged both owners and workers to ensure sound environment in the promising garment industry by shunning the path of conflict.
“Let’s say, we won’t stay in confrontational position, the government is ready to settle the problems as third party…crisis management units are also there to look into any problem,” he said.
Mosarraf, however, warned that the government would be harsh if anybody approaches with ‘unjustified’ demand or if any negligence of owner is found in fulfilling workers’ demands.
He said the RMG sector is playing significant role in country’s economy with the contribution of 76-80 percent of total foreign earnings.
“Some 80 percent workforces of this sector are female and it sounds good that there is no child labour in this sector,” he said.
BGMEA president Murshedi sought cooperation from all especially from buyers in improving living standard of the workers. “Apart from the owners, the buyers have equal responsibility to ensure better lifestyle of workers.”
Antonio Abril said: “Our company is really proud of contributing to Bangladesh’s RMG sector…we’ve firm commitment to this country for its economic development.”
Spanish Ambassador Arturo Manuel Perez Martinze said: “We’ve been in close cooperation with Bangladesh and this cooperation will continue in the years to come.”
Later, the Minister distributed cheques of group insurance and stipends.
END/UNB/