Bonikbarta Exclusive

The eight industrial zones are home to factories ranging from textiles and garments to mobile phones, furniture, and leather products. The areas under the jurisdiction of the industrial police include Ashulia, Gazipur, Chattogram, Narayanganj, Mymensingh, Khulna, Cumilla, and Sylhet. More than 4.6 million workers are employed in the factories established in these areas, with 57 percent located in Ashulia and Gazipur.

Recently, there has been significant labor unrest in these two areas, leading to the temporary closure of several factories. Eventually, the factories reopened after the workers' demands were met. Labor unrest has previously been most intense in Ashulia and Gazipur. Industrial owners believe that the concentration of most workers in these areas may contribute to this situation.

Although experts generally agree that the root cause of labor unrest is not centralization but deficiencies in the work environment and a lack of civic amenities, they note that none of the industrial areas are well-planned. During the Pakistani era, planned industrial zones were established in Tongi and Tejgaon. After that, wherever land was available on the outskirts of Dhaka, factories for garments and other industries were set up. The concentration of industries in Ashulia is partly due to its proximity to the specialized Dhaka EPZ. Alongside unplanned industrialization, the absence of basic civic facilities and related issues have played a significant role in intensifying labor unrest in these areas. For instance, while there is a wage structure for workers, there are no standards for benefits like lunch and overtime allowances in the factories. Additionally, there are no housing, recreation, healthcare, or education provisions for workers' children in Ashulia and Gazipur. They are living there with a lack of minimum civic amenities.

According to the industrial police, there are 9473 factories in the eight industrial areas, employing 4.67 million workers. The 4097 factories in Ashulia and Gazipur alone employ 2.68 million workers. This means that 57.38 percent of the total workforce is concentrated in Ashulia and Gazipur.

Worker representatives say that although the number of workers in the Ashulia and Gazipur industrial areas is relatively low, labor unrest still occurs. This is because workers lack civic amenities in these unplanned areas. No government has ever paid attention to this issue.

While industrial owners argue that labor-intensive areas tend to have more problems, the president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, told Bonik Barta, "In labor-intensive areas, workers always face more issues. This is a very normal scenario. Over time, some owners have moved their factories further away, such as to Ishwardi or Mymensingh. Many have gone to the far end of Sripur. The situation there is better than in Ashulia and Gazipur. It doesn't take long for discontent to escalate in labor-intensive areas."

Regarding the civic amenities for workers in industrial areas, he said, "Housing and recreational facilities are not in the hands of individual owners. Many houses and shops have been built around the factories solely for the workers' accommodation. Residents have established good income opportunities for themselves due to the workers. Even matters like recreation are not under the control of the owners. The government could centrally arrange for parks if they wanted to. We have long demanded the establishment of proper housing for workers, but it has not happened."

Labor sector analysts believe that alongside factories, other employment opportunities are also needed in these areas. They argue that garment factory owners have dismissed many workers for various reasons. The factory authorities had established a system to blacklist these dismissed workers, which they used as a tool. As a result, workers were dismissed from one factory and struggled to find jobs in another. Many of these workers continue to live in those areas even after losing their jobs.

Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, Executive Director of the Bangladesh Institute of Labor Studies (BILS), told Bonik Barta, "Without planned industrialization, there is no chance for change in this situation. Although the owners have made several initiatives to develop industries in a planned manner, these have not been implemented. For example, a part of Purbachal could have been developed as a garment village, but that did not happen. What should now be prioritized is to enhance civic amenities in areas where industries have developed. This has become urgent. Workers often sit on the streets when they go out, meaning there are no park arrangements. Workers live in inhumane conditions in concentrated areas. It is not unusual for pent-up frustration to build up in such an environment. Overall, the concentration of workers is giving rise to discontent because there are no arrangements for a comfortable life. However, the main issues exist within the factories. Since there are no mechanisms to address grievances, these issues spill over outside, and the discontent outside is partly due to unplanned industrialization."

The Director General of the Department of Factory and Establishment Inspection (Additional Secretary), Md. Abdur Rahim Khan disagrees that the concentration of workers in these two areas is a cause of labor unrest. He told Bonik Barta, "I do not find any justification in saying that the concentration of workers is a reason for discontent. Rather, ensuring a good working environment is important by providing workers with their rightful dues and other facilities and amenities."

Following the political changes brought about by the mass uprising of students and the public, labor unrest occurred in the labor-intensive areas of Ashulia and Gazipur. Factory closures disrupted production. In response, workers presented an 18-point demand to the government and factory owners. After several rounds of discussions, the owners accepted all of these demands.

The 18-point demands state that the wage board must be reconstituted to reassess the minimum wage for workers. Any factories that have not yet implemented the government-declared minimum salary for 2023 must do so promptly. Labor laws need to be amended. Suppose a worker is laid off or terminated after completing five years of service. In that case, they should receive an amount equal to one month’s basic salary, and provisions in Section 27 of the labor law and other conflicting sections must be revised.

Among these demands were calls for the immediate payment of all outstanding wages. The attendance bonus (BDT 225), meal allowance (BDT 50), and night shift allowance (BDT 100) must be uniformly increased across all factories. A provident fund system should be established in all factories. The annual salary increment should be set at a minimum of 10 percent. A rationing system for workers must be implemented. The biometric blacklisting controlled by BGMEA should not be allowed, and the biometric list should be under government control. All harassing and political cases against workers must be withdrawn. Measures should be taken to end the dominance of the scrap business, and laws should be enacted if necessary. Equal employment opportunities must be provided in factories. Compensation and medical care must be ensured for the martyrs and injured workers of the July uprising. Following an investigation into the welfare of those affected by the Rana Plaza and Tazreen Fashions disasters, appropriate measures should be taken. Day-care centers must be established in all factories according to labor laws. Unjust layoffs must be stopped. The maternity leave for female workers should be set at 120 days.

A representative from an organization working on labor rights stated that accepting the owners' demands proves the validity of the workers' claims.

Officials from government agencies overseeing labor conditions believe that being deprived of their rightful dues intensifies labor unrest. They noted that the facilities and benefits available in garment factories lack any specific standards. Some factories provide a meal allowance of BDT 20, others do not, and some may offer less than BDT 10. Such minor discrepancies also contribute to labor unrest. A significant weakness is the absence of specific standards for benefits and allowances other than wages. It is observed that allowances like meals and overtime vary from factory to factory and owner to owner, each determining the amounts according to their discretion.

When asked, a senior official from a government agency, who requested to remain anonymous, said, "Another fundamental issue behind the discontent is the lack of a structured system for workers to express their grievances within the factories, which could facilitate problem-solving. As a result, these issues escalate into significant unrest outside. The 2013 law included provisions for welfare officers responsible for addressing workers' complaints. However, it later became evident that owners used these welfare officers to serve their interests. Among the 4.6 million workers, nearly 2.7 million are in Ashulia and Gazipur. Alongside these 2.7 million, there are an additional 2.7 million people in the surrounding areas. This raises questions about Ashulia and Gazipur's infrastructural capacity. All these factors contribute to the unrest."