Special Correspondent
The laid-off workers and employees of 16 Beximco textile and garment units Thursday urged the government to reopen the factories and reinstate their jobs.
They made the demand at a press conference at the Capital Market Journalists' Forum (CMJF) office in Dhaka.
The employees demanded that the government facilitate the opening of letters of credit so that the mills can import raw materials, operate the factories, and repay bank loans.
"The owners of the group are eager to resume operations of the 16 textile and garment factories," said Md Abdul Kaium, head of personnel administration at Beximco Garment Division, at the press conference.
Meanwhile, after the press conference, on Thursday, Labour Adviser M Sakhawat Hussain said at a press conference at the secretariat in Dhaka that the reopening of 16 textile and garment factories of Beximco Group is not possible now, as the group has a high amount of default loans.
Beximco, one of the most talked-about industrial giants in Bangladesh, landed in hot water following the ouster of the Awami League government in early August last year.
Banks curbed finances owing to the default of a huge amount of loans, alleged to have been taken by the group using the influence of its vice Chairman Salman F Rahman, who was an influential adviser to deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Salman is now behind bars.
In December last year, Beximco laid off more than 40,000 workers across its 16 textile and garment units, citing a decline in work orders from international clothing retailers and brands.
The government earlier formed a committee of advisers to salvage the beleaguered industrial conglomerate. On Tuesday, workers of Beximco demonstrated in Gazipur, demanding the reopening of mills. According to a planning division official, workers are searching for company officials, fearing retaliation.
"Workers don't know the owner; they follow our instructions. With the current crisis, they're after us. We can't provide answers and are on the run," he said.
"We do not know what the owners have done with the loans. Permission should be granted to open LCs. Let the factories operate. The expenses and workers' salaries can be paid from the export earnings. If necessary, let the profits remain with the banks, but the factories must be reopened," he added.
