| RMG FACTORY RIOT CULPRITS IDENTIFIED Local MP, associates allegedly involved Garment factories at Ashulia industrial belt early this month saw wanton violence including the blazing of a sweater factory owned by Ha-mim Group in the locality. The burning of the factory alone forced over 4,000 workers out of job. Last week industries minister Dilip Barua, commerce minister M Faruk Khan and adviser to prime minister Dr Syed Mudasser Ali went on a site visit to the Ashulia industrial belt to see the scale of the destruction and assure the factory owners of the government highest priority to give protection to factories and save job to workers. The minister went to the spot as the home minister advocate Sahara Khatun and state minister for home Suhel Taj is out of the country. The first one is receiving treatment at a Singapore hospital, while the second one is on an open-ended holiday to the USA. The home ministry wears a deserted look these days. BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy and managing director and owner of Ha-mim Group A K Azad and local MP Murad Jang were also present. Speaking on the occasion Murad Jang vowed that not a single worker of the area and especially the ruined sweater factory would be out of job. He told workers, as the daily Samakal reported on July 5, quoted him saying in presence of A K Azad that from that day he would take charge of the Ha-mim Group factories to make sure that they remain protected and not facing any more trouble. Culprits identified On the other hand, an investigative report by daily Manabzamin earlier on July 1, identified the local MP and his associates for staging the raid on the sweater factory and its burning. They carried out the attack under the cover of agitating workers to retaliate the factory owner's refusal to pay regular tolls and give them the disposal business of garment waste cloths or jhoot, the report said. Murad Jang was speaking on that day as the factory owner A K Azad was blankly looking on. He said, "Ha-mim Group's factories were in his good book even before that event. He told workers, "I am taking responsibility of those workers from today who have become jobless for the incident." Justifying his gesture, he said they are his voters and so he has a responsibility that he can not avoid. Pointing to A K Azad, he said Hamim Group's owner is his elder brother and he would always stand by him at critical times.. Referring to the burning of the sweater factory, he said he is ready to become harsher if the situation so requires to resist terrorism in the locality and ensure peace. He said he would not compromise in this regard adding that he was trying to identify the culprits who were engaged in the Ha-mim Group incident. He urged all not to take law in their own hand. Commerce minister Faruq Khan said culprits who were engaged in spreading violence and staging raids in the garment factories would be chased and no one would be spared from punishment. He said some of the culprits have already been identified while investigation on others is in progress. The minister said the government would set up industrial police very soon to keep full time vigilance aiming at providing total protection to the industries. The ministers were really shocked seeing the scale of devastation of the factories and especially the destruction of the sweater factory. They said they would lend all support to the factory owners to start the factory again. A K Azad said it may take at least one year to bring back to production, suggesting he may rent a new building to start operation and give employment to people now jobless from blazing the factory. Jhoot business Manabzamin report on the other hand, dwelt in detail the background to the attacks in the Ashulia industrial belt and said three factors mainly contributed to flare up the violence. In the first place leaders and workers of Awami League (AL) front organizations are bringing pressure on factory owners to allocate the jhoot business to them while fighting back BNP- led groups to force them abandon their hold on the business. AL groups are also fighting amongst themselves to hold control of the business. Some NGOs are also blamed for inciting violence in the industry while working for third party from outside the country to destroy the industry here.. Previously, the local jhoot business was under the control of local BNP lawmaker Salahuddin Babu. When the grand coalition government took power, local Awami League MP Murad Jang and his associates tried to take over control of the business. But they were failing to come out openly as the AL high command had asked party leaders and workers not to fight. The recent violence in the garment factories arising out of the killing of two garment workers from Ansar firing brought them the opportunity. Local party leaders and workers were having eyes on Ha-mim Group and Sharmin Group factories but as the managements were not agreeing to pay regular tolls and give them the jhoot business, they took advantage of the situation. The news report said, Murad Jang was behind the attack on Ha-mim Group's factory. His people staged the raid on the factory and set it on fire. Local Jubo League leader of Yarpur union Shumon had led the procession of agitating workers to the factory under the cover of industrial unrest although he is not a worker nor a leader of any such group. He had other people with him in the procession. Shumon spoke over mobile phone with an AL leader from the procession who had asked them to carry on the agitation which ended in the blazing of the factory, the report said. Now the question is if an investigative report run by a daily newspaper can unveil the secret behind the incident, why could not the government intelligence agencies nab the culprits? The other question may be whether the Government is using the investigation game as a shield to protect party leaders and workers. |
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