THE labour unrest in the apparel sector that began on September 2, which continued on September 3, and forced a few dozen units to suspend operation, warrants early attention and a logical solution. The joint operation that the government initiated on September 3 appears a flawed approach and is unlikely to result in long-term stability. Apparel workers in Gazipur and Naranganj went on demonstrations on September 2, with an eight-point demand which includes job regularisation and security, wage increase, payment of arrears and family medical benefits, among others, while local youths and former employees who had lost job in the recent past joined the demonstrations, demanding job and recruitment of more male workers. The allegation of factory owners that the unrest is created by outsiders and politically motivated appears reflective of their typical response that brushes aside redress of root causes of unrest. The authorities certainly need to scrutinise the allegations and assess the situation. But the authorities also need to address the labour rights issue that continues to be a cause for concern in apparel and other sectors. The Global Rights Index, conducted and published by the International Trade Union Confederation, has ranked Bangladesh among the 10 worst countries for workers for consecutive years since 2017.
The index specified severe lack of workplace safety, violent repression of worker movement, mass dismissal, arrest of union leaders and restricted rights to unionisation as worrying signs of labour rights violations in Bangladesh. The index also added that union-busting measures are frequent and workers trying to form a union are systematically dismissed, leaving the working people in a vulnerable condition and giving employers sort of impunity. Besides workplace accidents, other forms of labour rights violations characterise the occupational safety situation. The only National Occupational Safety and Health Profile, prepared by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, classified labour rights violations under 13 major categories 鈥� recruitment and job condition, children and adolescent worker, maternity welfare benefits, occupational health, occupational safety, occupational accidents, compensation and safety committee, welfare measures, working hours and holidays, payment of wages, social security discrimination, violence at workplace and others. The highest number of violations, 26 per cent, occurs over recruitment and job condition while breaches in working hours and holidays, occupational safety and occupational health were also identified as major areas of labour law violations at work. All these point to a sorry state of labour rights.
The government should provide security for the industrial area but should not be high-handed towards workers. The authorities need to heed genuine grievances of the workers. It should sit with labour unions and attend to the issues that have contributed to the erosion of worker rights. The government must ensure labour rights, improve legal and policy frameworks, systems and services related to labour rights and facilitate workers鈥� rights to unionisation.