30 hurt as workers fight with officials at DEPZ factory
JU Correspondent/The Daily Star, Bangladesh
At least 30 people were injured in clashes between workers and officials of Youngone Group in Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) yesterday over beating up of a worker by a mid-level official.
Meanwhile, a number of garment factories remained closed yesterday despite the withdrawal of workers’ strike.
The severely injured were taken to hospitals in Dhaka and Savar while others were given first aid at the factory medical centre.
The clashes erupted after several thousand female workers kept three factory officials including Azgar, deputy general manager of the factory, confined to a room on first floor from 11:00am to 3:00pm as Azgar allegedly beat up Lota, a pregnant worker.
Azgar hit Lota, sewing operator, on the head with a stick as she stopped operations in her section. Factory staffs led by Azgar went on a rampage inside the factory beating up workers and reportedly smashed window glasses, computers and valuables to implicate the workers as vandals.
Youngone Group, in a press release, claimed a number of workers, who sparked off the May 31 half-day strike, instigated workers to refrain from work at its RMG units inside the DEPZ. Youngone Group said the agitating workers vandalised the factory and the group is unable to open their factories in DEPZ under the circumstances.
Worker discontent was brewing since Friday as owners did not give them the full salary and curtailed half-day’s salary of May 31 for demonstrating for their three-point demand.
The demands included wages at the current exchange rate of US dollar and transport arrangement for female workers.
Workers of the factory refrained from work as the factory officials hung a notice on factory gate saying no demands of the workers will be met.
The factory authorities also served warning notices to 15 factory representatives of Workers Representative Welfare Committee (WRWC) on Saturday, restricted their movement inside the factory and stopped allowing them to talk to each other.
“I got Tk 3,050 as salary of last month while my salary is Tk 4,000,” said Sufia, a second floor worker of the factory. Rasheda and Shazeda also got Tk150 less in their last month’s salary. On the other hand, staffs above the post of supervisor got their full salaries of the last month.
“Verbal abuse by staffs has taken the worst turn after resumption of operations following the workers’ unrest,” said Razia adding she earns Tk 2,900 per month after working in the factory for seven years.
“The authorities increased the salary by 30 per cent for workers who are fair and beautiful while our salary increased only by 10 per cent as we are not beautiful,” alleged Runa who works on the third floor in the factory.
The male officers intimidate or force female workers to take rides with them and if they protested or refused they are threatened with expulsion or are expelled, alleged Sufia, Dalia and Hena, sewing section workers.
Chairman of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza) Brigadier General Ashraf Abdullah Yussuf managed to ease the situation around 3:00pm after discussions with the workers.
In the meeting with the workers he said, “Action will be taken against the people responsible as per law of Bepza. I will inform the owner of the factory about your (workers’) allegations against Azgar and other officials. If Bepza rules are implemented you will have more facilities that you do not even know about and no worker will be sacked without investigation,” he added blasting the factory management for the situation.
Bepza, in a press release yesterday, called upon the workers of EPZ to keep peaceful, productive, investment friendly working environment in the zones.
The injured include Lota, Rokeya, Rekha, Shamima, Khorsheda, Monju, Mousami, Farida, Amiron, Nasrin, Lipi, Alekjan, Rosely, Shikha, Asma, Sultana, Nizam, a police constable, and Shahjahan, quality supervisor.
Meanwhile, Workers of several garment factories left after signing in while workers in two factories at Mirpur and Tongi clashed over the workers’ strike. Furniture and windowpanes of EU Sweater industries at Mirpur and Chic Knitwear were damaged during the clashes.
Timekeeper Bahar and Supervisor Fakhrul were injured in the clash at EU factories while there were no reports of injuries in the clash at the Tongi factory. The workers in Games Factory in Postagola left the factory in large numbers immediate after signing in. They refrained from work even though the strike was called off later.
Authorities of a number of garment factories said as precautionary measure they kept the factories closed while some others were oblivious about the withdrawal of strike.
Moon Printing, Classic Fashions, Giant Textiles Ltd, Mum Printing, Masco Industries Ltd, and Ring Sign Sweater of Shataish area, Uniliver Cotton Mill Ltd, Lease Apparels, and Oishi Fashion of Barabari area, Global Ltd, Dorin Textile, ARC, Sathi, Anupam and Oriental Garments of Chhoidana area, Mandal Group, N K Fashion and Pan Win Design of Bagher Bazar area remained closed yesterday.
Bepza Chairman Ashraf Abdullah Yussuf speaks to the workers of Youngone Group in Dhaka EPZ yesterday trying to calm them down. PHOTO: STAR
