PM Urges Vigilance to Ensure Factory Operations, Public Safety

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday directed the relevant authorities to remain alert to ensure the smooth operation of factories and industries and protect lives and property amid growing labour unrest.

Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury disclosed the Prime Minister’s instructions while speaking to reporters after a meeting with him at the Secretariat on Sunday night.

“The Prime Minister said factories and industries must operate properly and the lives and property of people must remain safe. He asked everyone to stay alert and take appropriate measures in this regard,” the minister said.

He said the meeting discussed the overall situation surrounding garment workers’ ongoing protests demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, as well as clashes between workers and police in Mirpur.

Ariful Haque, who also serves as expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment minister, said the meeting also addressed public security and ways to restore stability.

“Vested interests are conspiring to create instability ahead of December and destabilise the government. We discussed the issue and how to deal with those involved in such conspiracies,” he said.

The minister alleged that some people were using political parties and various organisations, including those linked to workers, to carry out conspiracies against the government.

“InshaAllah, we will deal with this politically,” he said.

The meeting began at 6pm in the Cabinet Division conference room at the Secretariat.

Among those attending were Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Nazrul Islam Khan, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin and Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal Chief Coordinator Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, MP.

The Prime Minister convened the meeting amid unrest in the country’s garment sector to discuss the situation and possible responses.

Garment workers staged demonstrations and blocked roads in Dhaka, Ashulia and Gazipur on Sunday, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000. The protests disrupted traffic and were accompanied by clashes with police and reports of vandalism.

At least 20 people, including four to five police personnel, were injured in sporadic clashes between police and readymade garment (RMG) workers in Mirpur, Dhaka, during the demonstrations.