Commuting costs lion’s share of RMG workers’ daily wage

Government has decided to extend the ongoing stricter lockdown till July 14 in a bid to curb coronavirus infection. Though all the public and private offices are closed, industrial factories have been remaining open.

However, as per the curbing measures traffic movement is also suspended resulting in grave sufferings to factory workers.

The workers have to break their trips down between walking or opting for a rickshaw.

Commuting through rickshaw charge the lion’s share of the wage workers receive each day. Even workers enter office lately; they have to face a wage deduction.

“Every day I have to travel to Mirpur from Manikganj. I have to enter office at 8am. I walk for few distances and then take a rickshaw for the rest. I get taka 800 a day. Commuting to office costs taka 600 every day. If I entry time exceeds fixed time, the payment is deducted. This is not a lockdown, but an order to kill. The government should either open everything or shut off the factories,” garments worker Abdul Aziz told The Report.

Another garments worker Samira Khatun also explains the sufferings she is facing every day.

“What kind of lockdown this is? We have to go out of home. Do we have any leave? Every day I walk from Mirpur 2. I left my home at 7am and yet to reach office. If I late, my wage will be deducted. What will I eat, how will I lead my life?” Samira Khatun said.

Mentioning government’s directive to arrange own transport garment worker Md Yousuf said, “The office took no such step. I commute to office from Lalmatia area. Due to closure of public transport I usually walk. The owners were supposed to manage transport, but instead they are acting cruel.  They gave us no facilities during the lockdown.”

Garment Sramik Sanghati leader Pradip Roy says, “The factories are open for owners’ interest. Instead of giving facilities, workers are facing lay off.”

“Government has imposed lockdown repeatedly to check coronavirus infection. Is the virus is checked? Keeping everything closed, factories are open. Did any facility given to workers to commute? The lockdown turned the workers’ life complicated,” Pradip furthered.   

Mentioning health guidelines he said, “The factories are no maintaining safety protocols. Workers are not tested for contamination or given vaccine. Both the government and owners showed their mismanagement again and again.”

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Faruk Hasan said, “The decision to keep factories open was taken to keep the economic wheel moving. Most of the workers reside beside the factories. They commute to office by bicycle or on foot. Only few workers live far from the factories. Only big factories have own transport system. We are not forcing any worker of small factories to come to office.”

Asked on wage deduction he said, “If anyone is paid despite absence, other will not wish to come. So, we had to take such decision.”