Editorial
Tackling RMG unrest effectively
Well-thought-out moves are needed to stabilise the sector
THE spate of violent incidents which has lately marred the efficient functioning of some readymade garment units in the country brings to light once more a crisis that calls for deft handling. Just how grave conditions are in the sector, which has over the years made significant contributions to the national economy, was made known by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a May Day discussion in the city on Saturday. She has hinted at the possibility of a hidden hand or third force being behind the recent turmoil in the RMG sector, the nefarious objective here being a subverting of it and thereby harming the economy. Before we go into other aspects of this discussion of the RMG crisis, we feel that this suspicion of a conspiracy against the sector must be dealt with first.
It is not for the first time that a head of government has raised the question of a well-laid conspiracy at work against the RMG sector. Previously, the BNP-Jamaat government too spoke of such a possibility and so did the Fakhruddin caretaker government. The question now is simple: in all these years, despite all the pronouncements about identifying the possible saboteurs involved in undermining the RMG units, why have the relevant agencies of the government been unable to ferret out these criminals? The plain and simple truth is that if the authorities believe that dark hands are involved, they should have been able to unearth the truth long ago. We feel that rhetoric must give way to results, if the authorities are indeed convinced that sabotage is involved in undermining the RMG. Unless and until that is done, all such vocal expressions of apprehension about the sector will sound rhetorical and therefore pointless.
That said, there can be no denying the fact that workers in the RMG units are overworked and underpaid. In these days of rising prices, for workers to demand a minimum working wage is hardly a radical move. It is for the owners of these units to consider how best they can respond to such demands sympathetically, considering the economic difficulties the workers face and the profits that are yielded by the sector. In recent times, a good number of RMG units have complied with the tripartite deal reached on industrial conditions not long ago. But that positive move can only be considered to have been implemented once the remaining, non-compliant units are brought on board. In other words, every effort should be expended to ensure that workers are happy and at the same time the RMG units remain in a stable condition. One way of making sure that a win-win situation prevails for everyone is for serious thought now to be given to the provision of trade unionism in the sector. Responsible, apolitical trade unions geared to protecting the rights of workers are also a guarantee against the very articulation of grievances through aggressive means that has of late undermined some RMG units in the country.
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