Sunday, July 1st, 2007More than 400 garment units are yet to fix minimum monthly wage for their workers though the time limit for it ended yesterday, a survey of the garment manufacturers and exporters association has found.The government last year fixed the minimum wage at Tk 1662.50 during a tripartite deal involving the government, the owners and the workers.After the agreement, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) in May this year identified 1,197 out of 4,600 garment factories, which were not paying the minimum wages.The BGMEA then revisited the factories last month and found 757 out of the 1,197 factories fixed ...
(read more) Wednesday, January 24th, 2007Garment industry owners have demanded stern actions against the corrupt government officials.They particularly mentioned the officials of Chittagong seaport, customs and NBR, as the officials demand bribe at every stage for moving files forward.The demand was made when a delegation of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA), led by its President SM Fazlul Haque, met Finance and Commerce Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam at his finance ministry office.The BGMEA leaders also placed five-point demand, including soft bank loans as a contingency measure, to save their businesses that were hit hard during the last 7-8 months' political standoff.After ...
(read more) Thursday, January 11th, 2007Employees of around 20 garment factories in Tejgaon vandalised 10 factories and set fire to several vehicles yesterday following sudden shutdown of a factory and rumours of an employee being killed.The vandals also took valuables, including computers, garment items, furniture and construction materials, from the factories during the rampage.Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) formed a 12-member committee to investigate the vandalism.Sources said the incident took place a day after goons led by one Mobarak beat up the workers of Padma Poly Cotton Knit Fabrics Ltd and confined five injured inside the factory, allegedly at the owner's directive.The Padma ...
(read more) Thursday, November 16th, 2006Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association yesterday hailed the 14-party combine for postponing its nonstop blockade programme until Sunday."We definitely appreciate the decision... It's a good decision, it's good for the country and the economy," FBCCI President Mir Nasir told the UNB over phone.Nasir along with some other business leaders called on Awami League President Sheikh Hasina at her residence on Tuesday night and requested her to avoid any programme that ultimately affects the economy."We're very happy as she has honoured our request postponing the blockade programme for the next ...
(read more) Monday, October 30th, 2006 The country's business and economic activities including export-import and functions at banks, insurance organisations and ports have remained almost suspended for the last few days due to Eid holidays and sudden eruption of political hostilities. Closed on October 23 due to Eid holidays, most of the private business houses and mills and factories are yet to resume their operation while public sector enterprises that officially opened yesterday had hardly any activities due to low attendance.As all modes of transport remained suspended, most of the workers and employees are yet to join office after the Eid holidays.Private and nationalised commercial ...
(read more) Sunday, October 29th, 2006Life at the port city Chittagong came to a standstill due to Awami League (AL) led 14-party combine's blockade programme started yesterday. With 30 ships waiting for loading and unloading, the country's premier Chittagong seaport is also facing the most awful congestion in the recent time due to the volatile political situation in the country.The 14-party combine enforced a continuous siege programme in the capital and Chittagong and Mongla seaports from yesterday demanding implementation of their reforms agenda.At a rally on Thursday, Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury also declared a rail and road blockade programme in ...
(read more) Friday, October 13th, 2006Opposing Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association's (BGMEA) earlier threat to shut down garment units for an indefinite period, most of the factory owners yesterday sought government's immediate intervention to prevent further unrest in the industry. The garment owners feared there might be more violence in the country's 75 per cent foreign exchange earning sector, especially on October 15 and 16, as some labour organisations called strike for the days.Some owners warned of 'mass movement of owners and workers' if the violence in the garment sector continues.Criticising the government's failure to protect the industry from the frequent violence ...
(read more) Thursday, October 12th, 2006Ten cases were filed with six police stations in and around the capital against over 7,000 people on charges of vandalising garment factories, shopping complexes, vehicles and assault on police that occurred during the strike on Tuesday called by several readymade garment (RMG) workers' organisations. Thousands of RMG workers staged violent demonstrations in Dhaka, Savar and Gazipur on Tuesday, vandalising around 100 RMG units and a number of banks, and looting shopping complexes.Following the incident, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) threatened to shut down their factories for an indefinite period if the government failed to take stern action ...
(read more) Wednesday, October 11th, 2006Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) yesterday threatened to close down their factories for an indefinite period if the government failed to punish the people responsible for ransacking different factories in the capital yesterday within 48 hours.BGMEA President SM Fazlul Hoque gave the ultimatum at a hurriedly called press conference at the association's office yesterday evening after workers rampaged through around 100 factories in Dhaka and Gazipur.He also demanded immediate deployment of law enforcement agencies including Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), Bangladesh Rifles and if necessary, the army, to bring the situation under control.Hoque also named four persons -- Mosharaff ...
(read more) Sunday, October 8th, 2006Agitated garment workers yesterday vandalised three factories belonging to Alana Group and damaged at least 15 vehicles at Pallabi in the capital.Witnesses said several hundred workers of Tunic Apparels near Purabi Cinema went berserk at around 3:30pm after the factory staff beat up six workers staging a demonstration inside the factory demanding increased salary and payment of last month's salary.A worker, Abul Kalam Azad, said the workers became infuriated after the staff beat up six of the agitating workers mercilessly as they tried to go to the sixth floor of the factory to place their demands to the authorities.The injured ...
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