On August 16, 2017, a peaceful protest program was going on in demand of payment of all dues & compensation of the illegally sacked workers of Korean owned Haesong Corporation (BD) Ltd. The hired goons of factory management attacked on the participants of this program & physical asaulted them. 16 perso
ns including General Secretary, Vice-President, Joint General Secretary & other leaders of NGWF and workers of Haesong Corporation (BD) Ltd. were seriously injured, among whom some are still admitted at hospoital. On the other hand, for last two years Grameen Knitwear Ltd. (owned by Nobel Lauriate Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus) factory management is harrasing 81 workrs by filing false against them.
In protest of attack & physical assault on 16 NGWF leaders & Haesong workers and in protest of harrasement by filing false cases against 81 workers of Grameen Knitwear Ltd. for last 2 years, a protest assembly & a torch procession by the initiative of National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) held in front of National Press Club, Dhaka on August 25, 2017 at 6:30pm.
Presided over by the President of the federation Amirul Haque Amin, speeches were given by the injured NGWF leaders & others including Genertal Secreatry Mrs. Arifa Akter; Vice-President Ms. Safia Parvin; Joint General Secretary Md. Faridul Islam; Central leader Md. Rabiul Chowdhury; Mrs. Aleya Begum and Workers of Haesong Corporation (BD) Ltd. & Grameen Knitwear Ltd.
Solidarity speeches were delivered by: Central Leader of SKOP (Sramik Karmachari Oikka Parishad) Mr. Kamrul Ahsan; Secretary General of IndustriALL Bangladesh Council (IBC) Mr. Towhidur Rahman; Bangladesh Coordinator of UNIGlobal Mr. Mostafa Kamal & treasurer of IBC Mr. Salauddin Shapon.
The speakers stated that, brands have terminated the business relation (according to ACCORD rules) with Haesong Corporation (BD) Ltd. due to fraudulence of safety documents of the factory. It was the responsibility of the factory management to either make the risky factory building safe by repairing it, or closing the factory after paying all dues & the legal compensations of the workers. But the factory management did not do
so, instead they temporarily suspended 4000 out of 6000 workers by deception. The management again temporarily suspended 216 workers, sent them show-cause-notice & thereby left them in uncertainity. For 6 times, the factory management promised to pay the workers but did not paid any; moreover they attacked, physically assaulted & injured 16 persons by their hired goons — which is heinous & criminal act. The attackers should be arrested immediately & should be put on judicial trial; and the all dues & legal compensations of 216 workers of Haesong Corporation (BD) Ltd. should be paid. Criticizing Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the speakers stated that even though he is a Nobel Laureate, but harassing 81 workers by filing false case against them is an extremely reprehensible act. These false cases should be immediately withdrawn; and either all dues & compensations of these workers should be paid or they should be reinstated with the payment of their due wages.
After the protest assembly, several hundred workers started a torch procession at Press –Club area. They paraded the high-court area, Topkhana road & finished the procession at Paltan area in front of the central office of the federation.
Thank you.
Amirul Haque Amin,
President, N GWF.