Gazipur garment workers resume work after wage board formation.
Garment workers returned to their workplaces in Gazipur industrial belt this morning following the government's decision to form a tripartite wage commission to determine the minimum wage and implement a new salary structure from December.
Normal production activities resumed at nearly 100 percent of factories in Tongi, Basan, Konabari and Sreepur areas of the district from the morning, although security measures have been strengthened at many factories amid fears of possible attacks by miscreants.
Law enforcement agencies are also maintaining a vigilant position across the industrial zones.
Factory authorities said workers joined their workplaces in a festive atmosphere as the government had taken prompt steps by forming the wage board.
No reports of workers' rallies, demonstrations or any untoward incidents were received from anywhere in Gazipur district until this afternoon. Traffic movement on the Dhaka-Tongi, Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways also remained normal since the morning.
Earlier, garment workers staged demonstrations and protests for four consecutive days from Saturday to Tuesday, demanding an increase in the minimum wage. During the unrest, several factories were vandalised and incidents of arson were reported.
However, production activities resumed at most factories from Wednesday morning, although some factory authorities declared holidays at their establishments as a precautionary measure.
At a press conference held at the Gazipur Press Club on Tuesday to ease the labour unrest, leaders of the 'Sramik Mukti Sangram Parishad, Gazipur', a platform comprising 35 labour organisations, urged workers to return to their workplaces.
The organisation's President Tamiz Uddin Tanu said the garment industry is one of the major driving forces of the country's economy.
He urged all concerned to remain alert so that no vested quarter or outsider could exploit the workers' legitimate wage movement to create instability in the industrial areas.
Mohammad Shafiul Alam, joint convener of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation, said the formation of the wage board had created an opportunity to discuss workers' demands.
Law enforcement agencies took up positions at key points across the Gazipur industrial belt from Thursday morning to maintain law and order.
According to district administration sources, 12 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), eight platoons of SRB, five platoons of Ansar members, along with police and industrial police, are performing joint duties under the leadership of 25 executive magistrates to maintain normalcy.
Local lawmakers, the administrator of Gazipur City Corporation and various political and administrative representatives are also monitoring the situation on the ground to maintain stability in the industrial areas.
