The Tuba Group Sramik Sangram Committee is set to announce today (Tuesday) tougher agitation programme, including observing strikes at the country's apparel industrial belts to realise their demands, sources said.
The special committee, which was formed by the unpaid workers earlier, decided on Sunday night last to go for tougher movement to mount pressure on the BGMEA leaders and the government.
The sources said the announcement could come today (Tuesday) after their programme to lay seige to the BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association) headquarters in the capital.
When contacted, organiser of the Sangram Committee Joly Talukder said they are going to announce fresh spell of movements like strikes in each of all apparel factories all over the country.
"The announcement could come tomorrow (Tuesday) during or after their earlier announced programme to gherao the BGMEA office," she said. They would go for strike if the owners fail to respond to their demands by Tuesday evening.
Talking about the issue, President of Garment Workers Unity Forum Moshrefa Mishu, also convener of the Sangram Committee, said they have given enough time to the BGMEA leaders and the government to settle the issue. "Unfortunately, we're yet to get any sign of settlement although the ongoing hunger strike of the unpaid workers stepped into eight consecutive days that left more than 100 workers ill," she said.
Mishu, who has also been taking part in the hunger strike from the first day, said they wanted to realise the logical demands of the poor workers in a peaceful manner for the sake of the country's US$ 25 billion industry.
"The workers got their back against the wall because of their growing debt burden in the form of pending house rents and bills of grocery items. So, the workers could turn violent at any time," she said.
Al Amin, a worker of Tuba Fashions, said the debt burden has been intensifying as day progresses as he cannot clear house rents and other bills for the last three months.
"We need an immediate solution and the owners should clear all dues in one date considering our survival. Otherwise, we would have no other option but to go to the streets," he added.
The workers' organisations have been divided into separate teams and have already started communicating with different groups and garment workers at each of the apparel industrial zones to make their future programme a success.
"Yes, we've done all kinds of preparations in Ashulia and Savar to make their coming programme a success. We're going house to house of the workers at the industrial belt to make them aware of the development regarding the issue," said a leader of workers Mohammad Shahjahan, who was assigned to gear up the movement at Ashulia and Savar apparel zones.
The Sangram Committee will also observe protest rally at each of the country's apparel industrial hubs on August 06 (Wednesday) in favour of full payment of the dues of the workers.
Deputy Inspector General (Industrial Police) Abdus Salam said they instructed their officials concerned to intensify security and intelligence activities in and around the industrial belts to avert any possible trouble.
"Police will not create any obstacle if the rally is peaceful," he added.
Meanwhile, some 18 senior citizens and civil society members in a joint statement expressed their concern over the developments with regard to the outstanding dues of Tuba workers.
They also criticised the BGMEA role in settling the issues as they said the BGMEA leaders kept the workers hostage to get Delwar Hossain, managing director of Tuba Group, released.
They also demanded immediate measures to cancel bail to the owner, who is now in jail in connection with the fire incident at Tazreen Fashions. Tuba Group is the parent company of Tazreen Fashions that caught fire on November 24, 2012 and killed at least 112 workers.
Tuba workers to go for tougher movement
Jubair Hasan | Published: August 05, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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