Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, the SKOP leaders said a national convention will be held in Dhaka next month to press home their demands.

They said the economy of the country has come to a standstill as state-owned mills and factories are being laid off according to the prescription of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The SKOP leaders said it was mentioned in an agreement with the government that the state-owned mills and factories would not be privatised or laid off randomly.

Referring to garment workers, the SKOP leaders said they are not getting any benefits under the existing labour laws.

The SKOP leaders urged the government to re-fix the wage of the garment workers through the formation of a wage and salary commission.

The other demands of the SKOP included introduction of democratic labour laws, permission for trade union in all industries, reopening of the laid off mills and factories and adoption of necessary measures to make the state-owned industries profitable.

SKOP Convenor Dr Wajedul Islam, Zafrul Hasan, Harun-ur- Rashid, Roy Ramesh and Nurul Islam were present at the press conference.