GOPALGANJ: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Saturday called upon the garment workers to cease vandalism for the sake of the export-oriented industry and their own sake too, as unrest rocked different industrial belts.

“If you continue acts of vandalism, the garment industry will incur huge loss. The factory owners will face a setback, you will remain jobless,” she said.

She made the call during a phone-in talk with people here after her scheduled Gopalganj tour was postponed due to inclement weather.

Requesting the RMG workers to calm down, Hasina also said, “If the work order of the industry goes to other countries, then you will remain jobless.

“The minimum wage was fixed at Tk 3,000 as against the previous amount of Tk 1,620. If the industry is destroyed, you won’t get a single taka and have to return home with the curse of unemployment.”

Prime Minister Hasina once again reminded that she does politics for the welfare of poor people. “So, I understand their problems.”

Hasina also asked the factory owners to take necessary steps for providing health, housing and medical facilities to the workers and introducing rationing system. The government will supply rice at a fair price, she announced.
 
She categorically said that the provocateurs of vandalism would be brought to book for trial after investigation.   

Regarding postponement of her tour, PM Hasina said, “Despite the progress of science, we remain hapless before the nature. I’m sorry for being unable to go to Tungipara. As such, I inaugurate all the programmes.”

BDST: 1630 HRS, 31 JULY 2010