ZCZC
BSS-45
KAMAL-FACTORY-REOPEN
Garment factories to be reopened with workers in city: Kamal
DHAKA, April 28, 2020 (BSS) – Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal today said that steps have been taken to reopen the readymade garment (RMG) factories with the workers currently staying in the capital.
“The RMG factory owners pledged to the Prime Minister that they will operate the factories with the workers staying in the capital, following the health guidelines. They are going to reopen the factories in line with their commitment,” he said.
The home minister came up with the remarks while talking to journalists after holding an unofficial and unscheduled meeting with the RMG factory owners at the Secretariat here.
Led by Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Rubana Huq, BGMEA and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) leaders joined the meeting.
“We held a long discussion on whether the factory owners are facing any problems in reopening the factories or what kind of difficulties can there be. But this meeting was neither prescheduled nor official,” Kamal said.
They (factory owners), however, have to face many realities as the workers will need to go to the factories and come out from there, he added.
Urging the RMG workers not to come to Dhaka from outside, the minister said, “There is no need of workers from outside the capital city. So, please don’t come from outside of the Dhaka”.
“The RMG factory owners said more than 97 percent wages of the workers for the month of March has been paid while the rest will be paid soon. Besides, they also assured me that the wages for the month of April will be paid as determined by the government or negotiated with them,” Kamal said.
He asked the factory owners to accelerate the activities for setting up laboratories to check up the health of garment workers.
“We also listened to them (factory owners) about the initiatives which they have taken for the workers if they (workers) are infected with the coronavirus,” the minister said.
BSS/MSH/SAH/KU/1923hrs