Labour unrest at Mirpur enters third day

The labour unrest in the capital's Mirpur area stepped into third day on Sunday, as thousands of ready-made garment (RMG) workers took to the street demanding wage hike amid high prices of essentials.
The garment workers from factories - located at Mirpur 10, 12, 13, 14 and Kalshi Road - gathered at Mirpur 10 traffic circle and demanded wage hike following soaring prices of daily essentials.
Police shot teargas shells at them at around 1.30-2.00 pm and dispersed the gathering when the workers besieged a car.
Earlier, garment workers of two factories protested on Thursday demanding their dues and other issues. On Saturday, thousands of workers came out of their factories and blocked different streets in Mirpur area.
After the labour unrest, the Ministry of Labour and Employment called a meeting of the tripartite committee on Sunday, headed by Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) additional inspector general Mina Masud Uzzaman. Member of the parliament Shajahan Khan was present in the meeting, among others.
The meeting ended without any specific decision, although it was expected to address the labour unrest, sources said.
A DIFE statement said the meeting was informed that it was not known who the workers were and which sector they represented.
The labour leaders, however, opined for wage increase of the workers after completing the legal procedures.
The meeting also said the factories in the area would remain open from today (Monday).
Talking to the FE, Nazma Akter - president of the Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation, said in the meeting they urged the government to rein in the price spiral of essentials, saying that the high prices made the garment workers' livelihood unbearable.
The government should immediately launch rationing of daily essentials, especially rice, oil and other commodities, and take measures to review wages of the garment workers by announcing a new wage board for the sector, she opined.
Echoing her, Sirajul Islam Rony - president of the Bangladesh National Garments Workers Employees League, said the government should announce dearness allowance until the new minimum wage is fixed, and should implement the wage board immediately

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