11 Youngone units resume production
Production resumed at 11 factories of Korean-owned Youngone Ltd in Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) yesterday after a two-day suspension due to labour unrest over implementation of the new pay scale.
Workers of all the 158 factories inside the CEPZ joined work in the morning, said SM Abdur Rashid, CEPZ general manager.
The violence over alleged wage anomalies left four dead and 100 injured in the port city Sunday.
In the wake of the unrest, the government yesterday withdrew Chairman of Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) Brig Gen Jamil Ahmed Khan, officials said.
Maj Gen ATM Shahidul Islam, who had earlier been deputed to Prime Minister’s Office, will replace Jamil Ahmed, said a handout of Press Information Department, adding that Jamil Ahmed has been redirected to the Armed Forces Division.
BEPZA officials, however, could not confirm the reshuffling, as they did not receive any official order as of yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Detective Branch (DB) of Police yesterday produced detained Moshrefa Mishu, president of Garment Workers Unity Forum, before a Dhaka court with remand prayers — each for 10 days — in three cases. Of the cases, two were filed earlier with Kafrul Police Station and one with Khilkhet Police Station on December 12. Mishu was not accused in the FIR of any of the cases.
Detectives yesterday claimed that Mishu has links with other countries that are competing with Bangladesh in the garments sector and that she is trying to destroy the sector in the country.
Monirul Islam, deputy commissioner (DC) of DB, said they have information that Mishu played a vital role in the recent unrest in the sector. Mishu several NGOs in the name of workers’ welfare while maintaining links with some other countries that are competing with Bangladesh in terms of obtaining work orders, the DC added.
Asked Jebunnesa Jebu, sister of Mishu, trashed the DB allegations and challenged police to prove the claims.
Mishu was arrested at her Bhuter Goli house in the capital early yesterday.
The court yesterday placed Mishu on a two-day remand in connection with the case filed with Kafrul police on the charges of vandalising Outright Fashion Ltd in Sheorapara, damaging and setting fire to vehicles and impeding police duty on June 30.
It, however, rejected the remand prayer against the case filed with the same police station on charges of damaging National Wool Wear Ltd in Mirpur and vandalising vehicles and barring police form discharging their duties on December 9.
The court fixed today (Wednesday) for the hearing on the case filed with Khilkhet police on charges of injuring 20 police personnel, damaging 60 vehicles and setting fire to a few of them in the area on December 12.
DC Monir said in preliminary interrogation they found that Mishu has never been a garment worker although she claims herself a workers’ leader. Besides, she has no source of income but frequently visits other countries, added the DC.
Mishu used to collect money from workers in the name of their welfare, said the DC, adding that they have information that she used to threaten factory owners of labour unrest if they do not pay her.
Several organisations including Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Garments Sramik Sanghati and Gonotantrik Baam Morcha condemned the arrest and demanded Mishu’s immediate release.
