Safety at Workplace
Punish garment unit owners for defying court order: Dr Kamal
Staff Correspondent
Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday said readymade garment manufacturers who do not provide safe working environment in their factories disobeying the order of the highest court, must be punished."There are laws. Had those laws been implemented, we would not have seen so many workers die in fire," the eminent jurist said while addressing a rally in the city to protest the death of 22 workers in a devastating fire on January 6. The incident happened in a knitting factory in Siddhirganj of Narayanganj. Dr Kamal, also the president of Jatiya Oikya Mancha, said the highest court of the country had ordered the garment factory owners to ensure safety of the workers in all readymade garment factories. But the owners remain in open violation of the rule, he said. National Garments Workers Federation (NGWF) organised the rally at Muktangan in the capital. Leaders of Jatiya Sramik Federation, Bangladesh Garment Sramik Federation and Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Garments Workers Federation also participated in the rally. The workers make an immense contribution towards earning foreign exchange for the country. They are the national assets and they deserve to be well protected, Dr Kamal said. Dr Kamal alleged that partisan interests have put the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on the brink of a disaster. BGMEA is a state organisation and the attempts to destroy it must be resisted, he added. Speaking at the rally the garment workers and leaders demanded the government take immediate steps to ensure a safe and healthy working condition for garment workers and punishment of the owners. Nurun Nahar, a garment worker, said, "We don't want to be brought home dead anymore. We ardently appeal to the government to take urgent steps to save our lives." Referring to investigations into incidents like bomb blasts in Mymensingh cinema halls, killing of journalists Manik Saha and Humayun Kabir Balu and the recent slaying of Rajshahi University teacher Muhammad Yunus, Dr Kamal said these (probes) are being conducted in name only. He urged the police administration to stand beside people leaving the side of godfathers, criminals and corrupt people. After the rally, a procession was brought out from Muktangan. Meanwhile, another organisation Swadhin Bangla Garments Sramik Karmachary Federation formed a human chain in front of the High Court yesterday. They demanded legal steps against the garment owners and compensation for the families of the fire victims.
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