Belated May Day greeting
Photo: AFP
According to Wikipedia, “May Day” is “International Workers Day” which is declared as a government holiday. However, do workers in Bangladesh have any rights? Does the government punish those who abuse the rights of workers? Did the garment workers who died in the fire at the Tazreen factory several months ago have any rights? Did the garment workers who have died and are dying from the collapsing Rana Plaza in Savar have any rights? Will the building owners who built sub-standard structures, whatever officials who permitted them, and the factory owners who threatened not to pay their workers be brought to justice? If the answer to these questions is no, then the observance of May Day in Bangladesh is hypocrisy.
Photo: AFP
Let us hope the blood of those who have died in Ashulia and Savar will not have been spilt in vain. It was reported a few days ago in the DS that there was a list compiled of 321 illegally built garment factories. I say knock them all down now and save future lives! It was said that the BGMEA built its building illegally, spoiling the splendour of the Hatirjheel road system. Ok, knock this building down as well! In fact, knock this building down first! If the BGMEA people can get away with building illegally, then how can they tell their affiliates not to do the same? Why protect murderers and those who protect murderers?
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