‘Workers must be allowed to speak up’
In light of the recent development in the RMG sector, where factories have started to open, Taslima Akhter, president of Bangladesh Garment Sramik Samhati (BGWS), talks about the workers' protest and their demands and plights in an interview with Aliza Rahman of The Daily Star.
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?
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 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.
The syndicates formed under the previous government to control the labour movement and scrap fabric business are now destabilising the industrial sector for their personal and collective gains. Only an aware, well-organised democratic movement can truly develop this industry. A real movement with honest leadership, representing the interests of both workers and industry, is essential. Therefore, both the government and employers must ensure that genuine leadership operates beyond self-interest and is committed to the welfare of workers.
Why is it that pressure can't be exerted on buyers? If the export sector is harmed, workers will also be severely harmed. Why is it that this angle seems to be somewhat ignored in the current discourse?
The buyers are mostly focused on taking the lion's share of the profit. However, they are reluctant to take responsibility for the rising prices of apparels or other crises. Since the Covid pandemic, buyers have consistently shifted all the blame for the workers' hardships to local entrepreneurs and the government during various crises, including the Russia-Ukraine war and inflation. But buyers also have to accept this responsibility. During any crisis that affects the industrial sector, buyers should play a role in supporting the industry and its workers, rather than simply cancelling orders. Both the government and entrepreneurs must take steps to address this.
Bangladesh is a part of a global supply chain. To grow in this sector, we need to be more skilled in negotiating with buyers. At the same time, the responsibility and accountability of buyers must be established in a more structured manner. It is crucial for everyone to recognise that if exports suffer, it will negatively impact not only the workers and owners, but also the industrial sector and the country's economy as a whole.
Inflation hit a 12-year high in Bangladesh this year. How has the lives of RMG workers been impacted by such developments, particularly considering their low wages?
The pressure of inflation and rising commodity prices are a significant burden on people. Even the middle class is being forced to cut back on their household budgets. Needless to say, one of the hardest hit are the workers, including RMG workers who are struggling to survive on Tk 12,500 a month. Whenever there is a wage increase movement, the government promises a rationing system, but it is never implemented.
Despite RMG workers playing a crucial role in the country's economy, their basic rights—such as access to food, clothing, healthcare, education, and entertainment—are not addressed in either their wage structure or government initiatives. In the new Bangladesh, workers hope that the interim government and factory owners will consider the interests of both the workers and the industry. Wages should be reassessed, and new working conditions should be established so that workers are not blacklisted for speaking up and have the right to express themselves freely. If workers are freed from the fear of layoffs, retrenchment, attacks and lawsuits, they will be able to play a more active role in the development of the industry and production.
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