Tuba workers declare fresh prog:Daily Sun

Police club supporters of Tuba workers’ movement outside the factory building of Tuba Group in the capital’s Badda neighbourhood on Wednesday. sun Photo On the 10th day of their hunger strike for three months’ wages and Eid bonus in full, the agitating workers of Tuba Group Wednesday announced fresh agitation programmes, including demonstration on Thursday, Friday and strike at all RMG factories a
cross the country on Saturday if their demands are not met by Thursday. The day passed-off amid incidents, including payment of salaries to nearly one third of Tuba Group workers from BGMEA building and deployment of additional contingent of police in front of Tuba factory, and driving out the agitators from the scene. Moshrefa Mishu, convener of Tuba Group Sramik Movement Committee (TGSMC), after being barred by the law enforcers from holding any press briefing, dropped a written statement containing their agitation plan. Earlier, the TGSMC declared to hold press briefing to announce the programme, but police barred the journalists to enter the venue. At around 6:00 pm, Mishu tried to announce the programme using a microphone from the fifth floor of the Hossen Super Market building, but was interrupted due to loud police siren. Later she dropped the written statements containing the programme schedules for the journalists. Meanwhile, some 583 workers and staff of five factories of Tuba Group received wages for the month of May and June from BGMEA building on Wednesday, according to BGMEA. At a press briefing after the disbursement of wages, the BGMEA leaders said they will pay wages to rest of the workers if they come to the BGMEA on Thursday. Earlier, after a meeting with the government and some labour leaders, the BGMEA announced to pay two months’ wages to the workers Tuba Group on Wednesday. However, the workers under the banner Tuba Group Sramik Movement Committee rejected the offer of partial wages and said they would not go to BGMEA for receiving their salaries. The agitating workers also declared to continue their movement. Following the BGMEA’s decision, the leaders of the apex trade body made arrangements to pay wages to the Tuba workers from Wednesday morning. But while visiting the BGMEA building in the morning, a few workers were seen there to receive the partial wages. Meanwhile, additional contingent of police were deployed at the main gate of the Hossen Supar Market, housing three factories of Tuba Group at Uttar Badda in the capital since the morning. The agitating workers have been observing hunger strike to press home their five-point demand for the last 10 days in the factory building. Police kept the main gate under lock and were also barring everyone, including the journalists from entering the building. The workers alleged that police has been obstructing supply of water and medicine to the building. Many leaders of Tuba Group Sramik Movement Committee told this correspondent over phone in the morning that more than 1000 workers remain confined at the factory building. Police removed the lock at around 12:00 noon, but nobody was allowed to enter the factory. Several incidents of clashes took place during the time. At around 11:00 am, Democratic Left Alliance leader Saiful Hoque Junaid Saki along with some other left-leaning political leaders tried to enter the building to express solidarity with the workers, but police deterred them and charged truncheons. At around 1:00 pm, police pulled out some worker leaders, including Shobnom Habib, president of Bangladesh Garment Sramik Mukti Andolon and member of TGSMC from the building and detained her along with fellow leader Kamrul Hasan. The TGSMC leaders alleged that though police are not allowing anybody to enter the building, many labour leaders inclined to BGMEA have the access to enter into the building and have been trying the misguide the agitating workers. After the incident of ousting some worker leaders by police from the building, many other worker leaders, including the leaders of Jago Bangladesh Garment Sramik Federation, Bangladesh Seadhin Garment Sramik Federation and Jatio Sramik Kormochari Jote, those are allegedly trying to implement the agenda of BGMEA were seen chanting slogan against Moshrefa Mishu and threatened for ousting her left-leaning worker associations from the country. At around 2:00 pm, police again charged baton randomly and injured many workers and general people. Samina Lutfa, a teacher at Dhaka University, also a researcher focusing the state of the garment workers, also received injury. She came to express sympathy to the agitating workers. Joly Talukder, a member of TGSMC told this correspondent over phone that around 40 people of different professional bodies who came to express solidarity were detained by police. At around 3:00 pm, it was seen that few workers were coming out from the factory buildings in search of food as they got weak for not getting food and water for long. At around 5:00 pm, human rights activist Khusi Kabir and A N Rasheda came to visit the agitating workers, but police barred them entering the factory. They later requested the police to ensure supply of food water and medicine to the factory buildings for the workers. They also expressed solidarity with the workers. At round 6:00 pm, Ganajagoron Manch spokesman Imran H Sarkar came to the spot and expressed solidarity with the agitating workers.