BEPZA terms recent labour unrest in EPZs as accidental, exaggerated
Thursday, 23 August 2007
FE Report
Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), in a press release, has said, the news of recent labour unrest in the country's export processing zones (EPZs), published exaggeratedly in some newspapers, are related to just accidental incidents which occurred due to manipulation by some selfish workers.
According to the release, presently 91 industrial units are operating in the Dhaka EPZ (DEPZ) and labour unrest occurred in the Unit-2 of Lenny Fashion Company (LFC). Their 103 workers became sick on August 3 for not supplying standard food by contractor. Of them, 101 workers were released on the same day after taking primary aid from hospital and the remaining two workers were also released later.
The LFC authority cancelled the work order of the food supplier and decided to pay Tk 24 in cash as food cost instead of previous food cost of Tk 20 until recruitment of a new supplier.
Most of the workers agreed with the decision of the authority. However, some unruly workers continued demanding Tk 30. Later they vandalised the factory and observed abstention from the work that created setback in the production of Unit-1 of the company. For this reason the LFC authority filed a case against some of the disorderly workers.
According to the BEPZA instructions and company rules, the companies are not bound to supply food to their workers. It is provided as an additional facility for labour welfare.
Meanwhile, the Unit-2 of LFC restarted its production from Wednesday.
On the other hand, on July 31, Ring Shine, another industrial unit of the DEPZ, terminated 1,000 workers of its knitting unit with full benefits of termination on the basis of consent of the workers and owners, as the company diversified its products from knitting (sweater) to spinning (textile).
A total of Tk 1,31,006 was given to the workers as termination benefit. Then, on August 17, a number of self-motivated workers of another unit of the factory also submitted applications to the factory owners for termination with full benefit, and the authority fixed their termination date on September 7.
Meanwhile, among the 135 industrial units, operating in the Chittagong EPZ (CEPZ), labour unrest occurred on August 16 in Euromode Fashion as an isolated incident. Two workers of the factory quarrelled with its DGM.
The EPZ authorities have started investigation on these incidents of labour unrest, and decided to take necessary actions against the guilty persons after obtaining evidence.
The BEPZA release also said, presently there is no problem in connection with the workers' salary in the factories of the EPZs. It was reflected in certifying 94 per cent compliance in the ILO's report in last October.
However, BEPZA is also trying to ensure cent per cent compliance in all the factories. It is playing an active role to look after the interest of the owners as well as the workers.
BEPZA is playing a pivotal role in the country's socio-economic development. In the 2006-07 fiscal year export earning from the EPZs was $2063.67 million, and they created new employment opportunity for 23,360 Bangladeshi nationals.
Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), in a press release, has said, the news of recent labour unrest in the country's export processing zones (EPZs), published exaggeratedly in some newspapers, are related to just accidental incidents which occurred due to manipulation by some selfish workers.
According to the release, presently 91 industrial units are operating in the Dhaka EPZ (DEPZ) and labour unrest occurred in the Unit-2 of Lenny Fashion Company (LFC). Their 103 workers became sick on August 3 for not supplying standard food by contractor. Of them, 101 workers were released on the same day after taking primary aid from hospital and the remaining two workers were also released later.
The LFC authority cancelled the work order of the food supplier and decided to pay Tk 24 in cash as food cost instead of previous food cost of Tk 20 until recruitment of a new supplier.
Most of the workers agreed with the decision of the authority. However, some unruly workers continued demanding Tk 30. Later they vandalised the factory and observed abstention from the work that created setback in the production of Unit-1 of the company. For this reason the LFC authority filed a case against some of the disorderly workers.
According to the BEPZA instructions and company rules, the companies are not bound to supply food to their workers. It is provided as an additional facility for labour welfare.
Meanwhile, the Unit-2 of LFC restarted its production from Wednesday.
On the other hand, on July 31, Ring Shine, another industrial unit of the DEPZ, terminated 1,000 workers of its knitting unit with full benefits of termination on the basis of consent of the workers and owners, as the company diversified its products from knitting (sweater) to spinning (textile).
A total of Tk 1,31,006 was given to the workers as termination benefit. Then, on August 17, a number of self-motivated workers of another unit of the factory also submitted applications to the factory owners for termination with full benefit, and the authority fixed their termination date on September 7.
Meanwhile, among the 135 industrial units, operating in the Chittagong EPZ (CEPZ), labour unrest occurred on August 16 in Euromode Fashion as an isolated incident. Two workers of the factory quarrelled with its DGM.
The EPZ authorities have started investigation on these incidents of labour unrest, and decided to take necessary actions against the guilty persons after obtaining evidence.
The BEPZA release also said, presently there is no problem in connection with the workers' salary in the factories of the EPZs. It was reflected in certifying 94 per cent compliance in the ILO's report in last October.
However, BEPZA is also trying to ensure cent per cent compliance in all the factories. It is playing an active role to look after the interest of the owners as well as the workers.
BEPZA is playing a pivotal role in the country's socio-economic development. In the 2006-07 fiscal year export earning from the EPZs was $2063.67 million, and they created new employment opportunity for 23,360 Bangladeshi nationals.