Corona patients are on the rise in the garment industry. National

Clothing factories have recently been established amid the risk of coronavirus. With a small number of workers stationed near the workplace, the government has instructed to open small-scale and phased factories, but many factory owners have failed to comply. On the other hand, the situation has become more complicated as workers who went to the villages in search of employment began to return to the industrial areas.

In this situation, the risk of coronavirus is also increasing. Since the factory reopened on April 28, the crown of 11 garment factory workers has been identified so far. A total of 41 garment workers were found to be infected with the coronavirus. Four of them also died.

A senior industrial police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Ittefaq that it was not possible to say which factory had been infected with the coronavirus. Because many people can become infected even after going to the area. Most of the victims are being treated on their own.

According to sources, Narayanganj has the highest number of workers among the victims. Of 41 workers, 27 are factory workers in this area. In addition, seven in Ashulia and six in Gazipur. Amid such discussions, a directive issued yesterday by the Factory and Establishment Inspection Department (DIFE) under the Ministry of Labor made it easier for workers outside Dhaka to go to the industrial sector. Although the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of the Interior and even the Ministry of Labor have already told workers outside the industrial area not to go to the industrial area, the directive said yesterday that workers must show the factory identification card. if you want to come. In addition, today a meeting will be held between the Ministry of Labor and Health on the issue of hygiene compliance in the existing situation. Owners of the garment industry will also be present.

Secretary of the Labor Ministry KM Ali Azam told Ittefaq that others would also move to Dhaka on behalf of the workers. This measure has been taken so that others cannot come on behalf of the worker.

The economist and executive director of the Policy Research Institute (PRI) believes that the problem arose due to non-compliance with government instructions and discipline when opening the factory. Ahsan H. Mansoor. He told Ittefaq that most factories opened on April 28 without adequate preparation and hygiene. As a result, there is a risk of spreading the infection. He said: ‘Our advice was to go slowly to other areas, starting earlier in areas where the infection is less. In this case, it was suggested to divide into green, yellow and red zones. But it did not happen. Instead, the situation became chaotic. »From now on, he advised to follow the hygiene rules correctly.

Qutbuddin Ahmed, a labor leader and former chairman of the Bangladesh Industrial Council, told Ittefaq that he feared the number of factory workers would be in the hundreds. If you want to know the statement of BGMEA, the owners of the garment industry, about the number of victims of the crown and the president of the organization, Dr. Rubana Haque did not give any exact number. A statement from BGMEA was issued later in the evening. There was no information on the number of victims or details. The representatives have been sent to the factories based on the information received, according to the statement. The factories have taken the necessary measures and secured the quarantine of the suspected (affected) workers.

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According to sources, seven of the 11 new victims are from Savar, two from Gazipur and two from Khulna. They are the AJI Group from Hemayetpur in Savar, the Al-Muslim Group from the Karnapara area, Denitex Limited from Ulail, Dhaka Dynamic Sweater, HR Garments, Parkstar Apparels from Gazipur, Shanta Expression Limited from Tongi and two others from Narayanganj in Khulna.

Meanwhile, police sources in the industrial area said that at least nine factories in the Gazipur and Ashulia areas also went on strike yesterday over the issue of wages and layoffs. The SP of the industrial area police, Mohammad Amjad Hossain, told Ittefaq that workers in some factories also organized an upheaval demanding to join the work. Basically 80 percent of the problem is related to salary.

According to Khulna’s office, the crown of two garment workers has been identified in Khulna. Her crown was identified in the PCR machine at Khulna Medical College (Khumek) on Saturday. Their home is in the Khatail village of the Pankhali junction in Dakop upazila. They have recently come from Narayanganj to their village house in Dakop.

Ittefaq / AAM