Is there any truth to the oft-repeated statements of "outsiders" causing unrest, or is this a way to undermine and eventually suppress the RMG workers' demand for fair wages?
Not only the garment sector, but demands are also being raised from various sectors following the mass uprising. For the past 15 years, people have been unable to speak openly due to the lack of freedom of expression, and workers are no exception. There was a pervasive fear of losing one's job if one spoke up or voiced a demand. After the uprising, workers have started to speak out. They are raising both short- and long-term demands, including payment of dues, immediate factory-based assessment and wage adjustment, all of which are justified.
In the new political landscape of Bangladesh after August 5, there are still challenges. On September 17, a worker's life was lost amid clashes. The control of scrap fabric business and the political interests of the ousted fascist government are at play. Efforts are being put into diminishing the achievement of the mass uprising by manipulating the workers' movement and anger. We think workers should be careful not to let their genuine demands get lost amid allegations of "outsiders," "provocateurs" and "conspiracies." To restore a healthy and fear-free work environment swiftly, it is crucial for the interim government and entrepreneurs to take immediate steps to address the workers' demands and make long-term commitments.
Positive steps must be taken through discussions with all stakeholders, including workers and labour leadership involved in the sector. Repressive language or tactics in response to workers' demands will benefit no one.
As is well-known, in the absence of proper trade union practices and organisations, workers often rely on spontaneity. Therefore, opportunities for workers to speak out and organise proper unions must be expanded. If workers remain alert, organised and united, they will protect their livelihood and the industry too. It is the responsibility of both the owners and the government to investigate and act against those who seek to exploit the current situation for their own benefit at the expense of workers and industries. We must move away from the old practice of dismissing workers' demands by placing the blame on others.
What are some of the demands being made by the workers?
A key demand of the workers is the payment of overdue wages. It is heard that around 26 percent of the factories have still not paid their workers. Besides, fear of unemployment is increasing due to the closure of several factories, including that of Salman F Rahman, the industrial adviser to the former prime minister. Additionally, some factory-based demands have been raised, including tiffin bill, attendance bonus, holiday allowance, and maternity leave. The claims are emerging as survival liabilities in the current market. In a number of factories, some factory-based demands have been met. Owners have announced an increase in tiffin bill and attendance bonus.
In the past two weeks, more than 150 RMG factories were closed at different times. In some factories, the owners closed under Section 13.1 of the Labour Act. Entrepreneurs in this sector, including the owners of Beximco, receive bank loans, but workers' demands remain pending. In such a situation, it is necessary to pay the arrears promptly. A long-standing demand of the workers has been for a rationing system, which is urgently needed, because the workers demanded a minimum wage of Tk 25,000 last year, but a wage of Tk 12,500 was approved. It goes without saying that it is difficult to survive at this wage at present. It is important to ensure a good working environment by opening the factories after considering the workers' demands one by one, including wage evaluation. If the factories are closed, both the workers' livelihood and the country's export will be affected.
What multifaceted challenges do the workers face, and how has the past regime's actions caused harm?
For more than 15 years, the previous government has been heavily partial towards factory owners. A significant segment of the MPs were owners in the RMG sector, which made the previous government seem as though it was the owners' government. In 2023, when RMG workers protested for a wage of Tk 25,000, false cases were filed against hundreds of them, including labour leaders. Four workers lost their lives, and many others lost their jobs. The wage board, along with representatives from the workers, owners, neutral representatives and the government, appeared to act in the interest of the owners, stifling the workers' voices.
In our industrial sector's history, two of the worst incidents that killed workers occurred during the previous regime: the Tazreen Fashions fire (2012) and the Rana Plaza collapse (2013). More than 100 workers were killed in the Tazreen fire, and over 1,100 were killed in the Rana Plaza disaster. Justice for these tragedies is still pending. Tazreen Fashions owner is out on bail and has become the president of the Matsyajibi League, while Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana is in jail, but many others involved have been released on bail.
It should also be noted that beneficiaries of the previous fascist regime worked to divide the labour movement in various ways. In industrial areas, the ruling party, its privileged groups and factory owners collaborated to suppress workers' efforts to organise. The vicious cycle was kept running so that there would be no real, honest leadership. The authoritarian government supported the so-called "labour leaders" and pocket unions that opposed the workers' voices, using money and fear to control the movement. The biggest challenge now will be to dismantle these entrenched syndicates. The interim government must ensure that no new syndicates emerge to control the labour movement or the industry.
