Mirza Fakhrul Islam.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir Tuesday blamed Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan for the ongoing labour unrest which might “destroy the garment industry”.
Speaking at a discussion, the acting secretary general of the main opposition party asked the government to take immediate measures to stop the violence and save the industry.
“When the environment of the industry is normal, a minister [Shahjahan] organised a rally of garment workers, causing unrest in the industry,” alleged Fakhrul.
“The minister has started a new game to destroy the sector so that the economy of the country collapses.”
At the discussion organised by Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Projanmmo, a pro-BNP organisation, at the Jatiya Press Club in the capital, Fakhrul alleged a group comprising people from both home and abroad has been hatching a plot to destroy the sector.
The unrest began Saturday when workers from different factories went berserk demanding a day leave to a attend the rally organised on the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan to press home their demand for a minimum monthly wage of Tk 8,000.
Since then, the workers have been continuing their demonstrations, blocking roads, vandalising factories and vehicle in the capital and its outskirts Savar.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, known as transport workers’ leader, have recently involved with the movement and held the rally to realise different demands of the garment workers.
The industry insiders and trade union leaders have blamed the minister and said he got involved in labour affair to win the hearts of workers and gain political leverage ahead of the election.
Referring to the ongoing agitation of the opposition, Fakhrul said after finishing countrywide rallies BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia would declare the next course of action of the movement. He urged the people to participate in the movement to force the government to hold the election under a non-partisan caretaker government.
Source: The Daily Star
