Defeated forces inciting workers’ wage protests: Rizvi

BNP Acting Secretary General and Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that defeated political forces are instigating garment workers’ protests over minimum wages to create instability in the country.

Speaking to journalists at a hotel in Sylhet today (2 November), Rizvi claimed that the groups were misleading workers with false promises and encouraging them to take to the streets.

“They are interfering here and instigating the workers. They are trying in various ways to provoke workers into taking to the streets,” he said.

Rizvi also claimed that police had arrested 11 Chhatra League and Jubo League leaders and activists from the protest site yesterday (1 November). He alleged that one of their leaders was involved in the incitement and that the group’s activities had been acknowledged in Facebook posts.

He said the defeated forces were attempting to destabilise the country by exploiting workers’ demands, adding that people had recognised their efforts to “fish in troubled waters”.

The allegations come as garment workers’ wage protests spread across several industrial areas today, including Gazipur, Ashulia, Savar, Mirpur and Narayanganj.

Thousands of workers blocked major highways in Gazipur, demanding higher wages, while clashes, vandalism and arson were reported in several areas. 

Ten platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed in Gazipur, where at least 39 people were arrested in connection with violence and alleged incitement. More than 150 factories declared general holidays.

Earlier today, Prime Minister’s Labour and Employment Adviser Mahdi Amin also alleged that “fugitive forces” had infiltrated the workers’ movement to divert wage demands through incitement and sabotage.

Amin said the government remained committed to ensuring fair wages and noted that a new wage board had been formed to review workers’ pay.