Reducing govt office expenses could solve RMG workers’ wages

Reducing unnecessary expenditure in government offices could create a scope for paying workers Tk30,000-40,000 a month, said former president of Narayanganj Chamber of Commerce and Industry Masuduzzaman Masud.

He said businesses would be able to increase workers' wages and benefits if the government reduced various expenses in its offices and ensured one-stop services.

He made the remarks at an emergency exchange meeting on labour unrest at the chamber building in Chandmari area of Narayanganj city on Thursday afternoon.

Narayanganj-1 lawmaker and chamber president Mustafijur Rahman Bhuiyan Dipu chaired the meeting.

Masuduzzaman said business owners were under mounting financial pressure due to various payments and expenses.

"We have reached the end of our financial capacity after making so many payments. We have to pay lakhs and crores of taka every year. Businesses could have spent this money on their workers," he said.

He also said the role of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in the recent labour unrest and violence in Narayanganj had appeared questionable, mysterious and disappointing to businesspeople.

"Sadly, this is our Bangladesh. But the role of the opposition parties, including the NCP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has also appeared questionable, mysterious and disappointing to us, the business community. After all, this country belongs to all of us, and we must find solutions to our problems," he said.

Referring to the developments over the past few days, Masuduzzaman said his experience of the last three days had been unusual.

He said the situation had been created even before any initiative was taken to form a wage board, although there was no need for such developments. Neither the factory owners nor the workers had been consulted or expressed any opinion on the matter, he added.

He said some labour leaders had demanded a monthly wage of Tk30,000 for workers and that the wage board would decide on the matter or be formed to consider the demand.

However, instead of allowing time for the process, around 67 to 68 factories were attacked, vandalised and set on fire the previous day, he said, adding that they had learned about various conspiracies and instigations behind the incidents.

Masuduzzaman said businesspeople had no intention of resisting the workers' movement.

He stressed the need for coordinated statements and cooperation from political parties to bring the situation under control, urging all concerned to play responsible roles in protecting the interests of the country's industries and workers.