Ashulia, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Sunday, urged garments workers to cast their votes for ‘boat’ (the election symbol of her party) to give her the scope to serve the people of the country for another term. “Cast your vote for ‘boat’ and give me the scope to serve you for another term,” the Premier said, pledging her government’s effort to better the lives of RMG workers.
Hasina was addressing a rally of women garments workers in Ashulia, the RMG hub, on the outskirts of the capital. The meeting was organised on the occasion of foundation-laying of the country’s first dormitory for women garments workers at Ashulia.
Hasina, also the AL president, urged the women workers to be vocal against the Hefazat-E-Islami propaganda against her government and alleged that Hefazat was against the empowerment of women. She pointed out that RMG workers should vote her party to power as her government had taken a lot of steps for their welfare.
She also pledged to increase the minimum wage of RMG workers and reminded them that after assuming power, the Awami League formed a new wage board for garments workers that recommended increasing their salary from Tk. 2,500 to Tk. 3,000.
Hasina alleged that Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had done nothing for the welfare of garments workers. “People of the country get something when Awami League comes to power,” she added.
The Prime Minister assured the garments workers of taking all possible measures to provide them a better life and urged them not to do anything detrimental to the garments sector.
She added that the government has already decided to constitute a wage board for increasing the salaries and allowances of garments workers and asked the owners to give adequate salaries to them according to the recommendation of the board.
Urging the garments workers to remain careful about the propaganda of BNP, Jamaat and Hefazat against the present government, the Prime Minister said the opposition is misguiding people in the name of religion.
Calling upon the garments workers to vote for the Awami League in the next general election, the Prime Minister said women workers might lose their job if the unholy alliance, led by BNP, comes to power.
She also said the preparatory work for formation of a wage board to give recommendations to increase wages and allowances of garments workers is progressing fast.
“As long as I’m in office, you need not go for any movement as I have full support for your all legitimate demands,” Sheikh Hasina said. She added that usually a wage board is formed in every five years, but the government has decided to constitute the wage board considering the interest of the workers.
In the hostel building, to be constructed by the department of women and children affairs, women garments workers will get residential and dining facilities at low cost, free furniture, healthcare services, recreation, sports facilities and day-care services for their children.
State minister for children and women affairs Meher Afroz Chumki presided over the meeting, while shipping minister Shajahan Khan, state minister for labour and employment Munnujan Sufian, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on ministry of children and women affairs Fazilatunessa Indira, secretary of the ministry Tariqul Islam, among others, spoke on the occasion.
The Prime Minister said the government has taken steps to construct dormitories so that women garment workers can live in a healthy and good atmosphere. Hasina also said the government has selected land at Bipail for construction of a garments colony with better housing facilities for several thousand garment workers.
The country is earning valuable foreign currencies owing to the hard labour of garments workers, entrepreneurship of the owners and supportive government policies, she added.
“The garments sector is making our economy strong and creating employment. It’s empowering our women and reducing poverty,” she said.
Accusing the BNP of shutting down community clinics built by the AL-led government, the Premier urged the countrymen to vote for her party in the next poll, to prevent the BNP from such doings.
-With The Independent input
