After several extensions, the government announced a nationwide public holiday until May 5. During the on going public holiday the garment factory owners on Sunday (April 26), have opened more than 600 export-oriented factories.
More than 500 factories will be opened on Monday (April 27). All garments will be opened in phases.
The government announced public holiday in phases from March 26 to May 5 to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus. The owners have started the factories on the pretext of keeping the 'wheel of the economy in motion' through various strategies and lobbying.
Employees and workers have been called to the garment factories since Friday (April 24). However, as public transports are closed until May 5, many workers returned to work on Saturday (April 25) by alternative means.
According to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), an association of owners of readymade garments factories, 502 garment factories opened on Sunday. Of these, 18 factories have been opened in Narayanganj, 129 in Savar-Ashulia, 25 in Dhaka, 238 in Gazipur and 92 in Chittagong. According to the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), they had 10 to 12 factories opened on Sunday.
Besides, more than 100 factories of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) and Bangladesh Garment Buying House Association (BGBA) were opened on Sunday. But before that, there were more than a hundred factories have been opened producing masks and PPE.
In a discussion organized by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the country's leading business organization, BGMEA President Dr. Rubana Haque said there are demands to open 865 factories in the garment industry. So far orders worth more than 3 billion dollars have been cancelled. We are under pressure to open the factory. Many have orders to export. She sought the cooperation of all to take steps to reopen the factory fixing a dates on a limited scale, ensuring health protection.
The BGMEA president said if the order went to the competing countries, it would be difficult to bring it back. Therefore, it is important to decide to open factories with a limited number of workers.
For this reason, BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMEA did not give any instructions to keep the factories shut during the public holiday announced by the government from April 26 to May 5.
On Saturday, BGMEA President Dr. Rubana Rubana Haque informed about the decision of the garment owners to open limited number of garment factories in compliance with the hygiene rules.
A message was posted on BGMEA's website on Saturday (April 25) asking members to open or close the factory. That said, in order to keep the wheel of the economy moving, BGMEA will directly advise you to open zones-based, limited-scale factories. Earlier, members were also advised not to bring workers to Dhaka.
The message made it clear to BGMEA members to open the factory with workers who live near the factory.
The BGMEA's message further said that members are being asked not to terminate workers for humanitarian reasons. Absent workers will be sent wages.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Garment Buying House Association (BGBA) on Sunday (April 26) sent another letter to the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister explaining precautionary measures in opening garment factory. A letter sent to the organization applauding the decision to open the garments said the about 40 lakh workers, who still live below the poverty line, are poorly educated and not well aware of the hygiene of corona infection. Meanwhile, the holy month of Ramadan is underway, with the holy Eid ahead. At this time it is necessary to ensure safe work area, uninfected travel to work, regular health check-ups, safe accommodation for a large section of working people. Multiple shifts can be introduced if necessary to ensure this.
The letter further said that in the interest of keeping the workers and other workers in the labor industry healthy, the factory may be opened first in a certain area under the supervision of the administration on a trial basis. It would not be fair to leave the health and safety of the working people to the factory owners alone. That is why the administration, health department, transport, labor inspector department and all concerned need regular monitoring. Otherwise, there may be a recurrence of various accidents as in the past and there is a risk of negative impact on garment exports abroad. In this situation, we want the full cooperation of the government in the prevention of infection in the garment factories, safety of the workers, awareness about coronavirus infection, protection of social distance and following the hygiene rules.
Kazi Iftekhar Hossain, the president of the organization, thinks that this precaution is essential for the industry.