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Labour leaders on Sunday called for full implementation of the 18-point demands outlined in a tripartite agreement between the government, factory owners, and labour representatives to restore normalcy in major industrial belts.
They also demanded justice for the death of a garment worker and emphasized the need to ensure stability in the industrial sector and uninterrupted production by checking rumors and conspiracies.
A group of 20 garment trade unions placed the demands at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters' Unity in the city on Sunday.
Some factory owners are still suppressing workers, not paying wages and are instead terminating workers and filing cases against them, said Montu Ghosh, president of Garment Workers Trade Union Center (GWTUC), while reading out a written statement.
As a result, workers who have been deprived of their lawful benefits, labour rights, and the right to unionise have been compelled to protest and place various demands at different factories, he noted.
On September 24, the interim government, factory owners, and labour representatives agreed to an 18-point demand formulated based on demands from agitating workers at various factories, and factories reopened accordingly from September 25.
But a number of factory owners continued to terminate workers and file cases instead of implementing the 18-point demands, Montu Ghosh alleged.
The livelihoods of workers at several factories remain uncertain, as some factories have yet to pay monthly wages, while others have announced indefinite closures in accordance with labor law, he noted.
Besides, workers are allegedly being tortured and shot by law enforcers, jhut traders and goons hired by factory owners, leading to the death of a worker, Kawsar Hossain Khan, while several others were also injured, he said.
He urged punitive measures against those responsible for Kawsar's death, including factory owners, and called for proper compensation for the deceased's family, as well as treatment and rehabilitation for the injured.
Demanding an end to workers' termination, Mr Ghosh called for immediate payment of all dues to the workers.
Labour leaders Amirul Haque Amin, Babul Akhter, Touhidur Rahman, Taslima Akter and Sadekur Rahman Shamim, among others, were present at the press conference.
Meantime, a total of 15 factories in different industrial zones remained closed or kept their production suspended on the day over labour protests as workers either did not work or left their respective workplaces after joining in the morning, according to industry sources.
Out of the 15 factories, some 11 units are located in Ashulia, three in Mirpur and one in Gazipur.
Two factories in Ashulia are closed in line with labour law provision of 13 (1), while the rest announced holiday.
Workers at different industrial zones mostly in Ashulia had been protesting since August 29 over their several demands, including an increase in allowances of attendance, tiffin and night bills, non-payment of wages and dues and wage hike.
The labour situation, however, improved since Thursday last, the sources added.