About 88 labour leaders were allegedly involved in instigating the recent unrest over the new wage structure in the country's ready-made garment (RMG) sector, a government agency revealed.
The agency in a report urged the authorities concerned to take legal action against the labour leaders for their unlawful activities, sources said.
Based on the report, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) also recently asked the ministries of home affairs, commerce and labour to take effective measures against any such illegal activities which could jeopardise the country's major foreign currency earning sector, they said.
According to the report, these labour leaders, based in Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chittagong districts, were directly or indirectly involved in instigating the unrest which caused a significant financial loss to the sector.
Of the 88 labour leaders, 47 are based in Gazipur, 22 in Narayanganj and 19 in Chittagong.
The report said after announcement of the minimum wage at Tk 5,300 by the government-formed wage board, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had urged the labourers to remain calm until the gazette notification was made. Despite the call, labour unrest and other destructive activities took place in different industrial zones to press for announcing Tk 8,000 as the minimum wage.
"Though most of the labourers and their organisations agreed to accept Tk 5,300 as the minimum wage, a vested quarter instigated the labour unrest in their own interest," it said.
The report said some local opposition political leaders, some labour leaders and the people involved in garment waste, popularly known as 'Jhut', trading instigated the unrest. As a result, the workers damaged the establishments in the nearest areas and also set fire to some of them. "Police had to intervene to calm down the situation which even caused loss of lives," the added.
Factory owners in Konabari, Kashimpur, Zirani Bazaar, Shafipur and Tongi were compelled to keep their garment units shut for the sake of safety. Besides, the owners of 25 factories at Fatulla and Kanchpur under Narayanganj district were also forced to shut factories for an indefinite period.
The report also said the wage board announced that workers would get a 5 per cent raise in wages every year. Usually the workers were getting 10 to 12 per cent raise in wages annually based on their performance. The announcement of 5 per cent raise created some sort of confusion among the workers which also resulted in the unrest.
It also said some trade union leaders, supported by left leaning parties, did not agree on the minimum wage as announced by the board. To fuel the labour unrest they demanded Tk 12,000 as the minimum wage, 60 per cent production bonus, Tk 500 as the daily average minimum wage and declaring a piece rate before production in the sweater sub-sector.
The report said had the piece rate of sweater been declared before production, the labour unrest could continue to be ignited. "Because, workers won't work until they get the rate of their choice," it added.
The agency suggested that the issue of 5.0 per cent annual wage hike should be made clearer by providing explanation. Workers could be motivated, if necessary, it said.
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