Looking beyond the conspiracy theory

The simmering discontent brewing over the non-fulfilment of the RMG workers' 11-point demand relating mainly to low salaries, overtime allowance, issuance of employment letter and confirmation in job long overlooked by many factory owners took a volatile turn on 23rd May. Strangely enough, with the law enforcement agencies playing second fiddle, violence broke out in more than 300 RMG factories with frenzied workers setting fire to many of these units. The statement of the state minister for home affairs to the effect that he could not take action because of the dearth of law enforcers and lack of coordination among the forces, left people wondering first of all about the effectiveness of the law enforcement machinery and last of all about the governance factor that has always been at stake during the yesteryears.

It was so intriguing that when all eyes were set on the Supreme Court verdict relating to the voter list fracas to be announced on that day, violence erupted in other parts of the city. With the appeal of the factory owners for protecting their properties and machinery from being looted and ransacked falling flat on the law enforcers, arsonists and looters joined reportedly by jhoot traders who had longstanding conflict with the garments owners, made the most of the volatile situation prevailing in the industrial belts at that time. This only speaks of the brazen ineptitude and amateurish handling by the authorities of an industry vitally linked to about ten million people's livelihood other than the fact that it is an industry that has made significant headway in earning valuable forex and establishing the image of the country in the western world.

Trading blame game and finding scapegoat for any thing going wrong in the country, has been a usual practice with the politicians, specially those in power. Believing what the ministers of home, finance, commerce and LGRD say that these wanton acts of sabotage, looting and ransacking were carried by groups or agents inimical to the interest of the country, especially in a situation when the state minister for home affairs knew it for certain that such conspiracy was being hatched, then a lame duck excuse could hardly be comforting to the people. If public memory is not so short, in the past they have also heard of such accusations and blame game being leveled against opposition parties despite having intelligence reports on the terrorists who as they say were dining and sleeping with the alliance government and who later carried bomb attacks throughout the country.

Without sincerely looking at the grievances of the workers and meeting them as committed such eruptions might again occur with more debilitating consequences on the RMG sector and especially on the economy of the country which is showing severe signs of strain at the moment.

The fire may have been doused for the time being but the groundswell of discontent, deprivation and exploitation carried on these hapless workers makes these factories a highly inflammable area like the clothes they are stitching. Presumably the violence, rampage, destruction and looting might have been orchestrated by seemingly militant forces determined to turn people's attention from the ongoing reforms movement in the country.

True, in a country where politics and vendetta go hand in hand, authorities in most cases wash their hands off responsibility through passing the buck. The letter addressed to the Prime Minister by the General Secretary of the ITGLWF (International Textile Garments & Leather Workers Federation) pointed to the low wages and imposition of inhuman condition on the workers that sparked the violent agitation that ultimately led to the destruction of properties that owners estimate would go to the extent of one thousand crore taka.

It went on saying : the reality is that Bangladeshi garment industry owners impose a regime which is beyond human endurance. Last year government introduced a 72 hour work week. But the reality is even harsher. Even on Fridays which is supposed to be their weekly day of rest, workers in hundreds of factories can be found working 18 hours a day. Citing an example of the abominable condition existing in some factories, the letter said that a leading Bangladeshi retailer recently drew his attention to the situation at a factory owned by a senior member of BGMEA where after working 29 days for 12 hours a day, last month a worker earned only Tk.400.

The ILO survey now made public paints a grim picture of the working condition of the workers in the RMG factories. The survey finds that when workers do overtime, employers exploit them on their hours, preferring to pay them fixed sums, which is much lower than the 100 percent incremental pay for the overtime work as provided for in the law. The survey further adds that although in recent times there has been some initiative to bring workers under insurance coverage, non-issuance of appointment letters by employers could actually deprive workers of being benefited from the scheme.

Starting in the 80s, this industry has made substantial impact on our economy, identifying itself as a vital foreign exchange earner as well as providing jobs to a vast cohort of unemployed youths, especially women. This industry now numbering about 4500 units in the whole country employs about 25 lakh workers about 80 percent of whom are women. The absorption of large number of unemployed and widowed women from the rural areas -- has added to the importance of sustaining this industry with care and caution, let alone the fact that this RMG sector now fetches 75 percent of our foreign exchange earnings.

Nobody in the country could countenance the fact that an industry that employs 40 percent of our total industrial work force and has achieved a near 20 percent growth despite post-MFA apocalyptic predictions would be allowed to be caught in a state of turmoil and undesirable attack. People believe that with workers' genuine demands properly addressed, this sector can retain its competitive edge. Mere talking about the invisible enemies trying either to kill or cripple this industry without ever trying to nab them would serve no useful purpose.

Md. Asadullah Khan is a former teacher of Physics and Controller of Examinations