RMG Factories to Be Operated with Workers Staying in Dhaka: Minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Tuesday that measures have been taken so that textile employees could not reach Dhaka from outside, as RMG factories will be operated on a small scale, with staff now staying in Dhaka.

"Garment factory workers who are now present in Dhaka will enter factories ... no one from outside would be permitted to come to Dhaka for work, and the requisite measures have been taken in this regard," he said.

The Minister came to the government's decision when talking to reporters after holding a meeting with the textile factory owners in the Secretariat.

Leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) attended the conference.

During the conference, the textile owners said that apparel factories are working on a small scale with staff accessible in Dhaka and that they are addressing hygiene problems, Asaduzzaman said.

The authorities concerned are aware of it, he said.

“The garment factory owners said 98 percent wages of the workers for the month of March have been paid while the rest will be paid soon. Besides, the wages for the month of April will be disbursed soon,” said the minister.

President of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Ruban Huq said Friday that the reopening of their factories on 26 April is entirely dependent on the improvement of the coronavirus situation in the region.

"We're going to finalize the decision to restart the factories given how the corona situation is heading," she told the media.

Rubana said they are observing the situation. “We won’t reopen the factories killing people or putting our workers in trouble.”

She said they will consult relevant stakeholders and the authorities concerned before reopening the RMG factories.

The apex body of the apparel sector had also tried to reopen the factories on April 5 and several thousand workers went to Dhaka from the adjoining districts taking too much of trouble amid the shutdown and the serious risk of coronavirus infection.

As the Government prolonged the closure until 25 April, the BGMEA authorities have updated their decision to reopen the factories.

Proven coronavirus cases increased to 6,462 cases in Bangladesh on Tuesday, after 549 new cases and three deaths were recorded by the health authorities.

“In the last 24 hours, 549 people were diagnosed with coronavirus in the country,” said Additional Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof Dr Nasima Sultana in the daily health bulletin broadcast.

During this period, three people died from coronavirus surging the total deaths to 155.

Source: UNB