GSK employees demand reopening of factory

Employees of GSK GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Bangladesh, one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, yesterday demanded reopening of the factory.

The employees at a press briefing at Chattogram Press Club urged the authorities concerned to reopen the factory.

In a board meeting on July 26 the company decided to close its medicine manufacturing unit in Bangladesh what they said “the pharmaceutical unit is commercially unsustainable.”

In front of Chattogram Press Club, several hundred workers and employees including women employees formed a human chain demanding reopening the factory.

Employee’s union general secretary Md Azim said at a press briefing said “The departing managing director of GSK is a Pakistan citizen who has finalised the blue print to stop the production of a profitable and quality pharmaceutical factory in Bangladesh. Due to the decision the lives of 1000 permanent employees and more 300 temporary employees has fallen under threat.”

“Putting 1,300 people on road, the decision to shut down the factory cannot be accepted. We do not want money. We want the authority to take initiative to open the factory without any delay.”

 Employees’ Union president Md Elias in a written statement said, the authorities’ claim that the GSK is an unprofitable in Bangladesh is false. “In the 2017, the GSK’s net profit was Tk 66.93 crore while the company paid Tk 199.44 crore to the government as revenue and tax. From 2013 to 2017 the total net profit of the GSK in Bangladesh was Tk351.80 crore.”

“In these circumstances how they said GSK was unprofitable in Bangladesh,” Elias raised question.

“If the GSK has been shut down the country people will deprive from getting quality medicine as GSK never compromise with its quality and the government will deprive from getting huge revenue,” said Elias, Tapan Dutta, president of Bangladesh Trade Union Federation.

Workers’ leader Safor Ali said the factory has been closed without following the law. This is the conspiracy.” The conspiracy must be stopped,” he said.

 

GSK employees demand reopening of factory

Employees of GSK GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Bangladesh, one of the worlds leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, yesterday demanded reopening of the factory. The employees at a press briefing at Chattogram Press Club urged the authorities concerned to reopen the factory. In a board meeting on July 26 the company decided to close its medicine manufacturing unit in Bangladesh what they said the pharmaceutical unit is commercially unsustainable. In front of Chattogram Press Club, several hundred workers and employees including women employees formed a human chain demanding reopening the factory. Employees union general secretary Md Azim said at a press briefing said The departing managing director of GSK is a Pakistan citizen who has finalised the blue print to stop the production of a profitable and quality pharmaceutical factory in Bangladesh. Due to the decision the lives of 1000 permanent employees and more 300 temporary employees has fallen under threat. Putting 1,300 people on road, the decision to shut down the factory cannot be accepted. We do not want money. We want the authority to take initiative to open the factory without any delay. Employees Union president Md Elias in a written statement said, the authorities claim that the GSK is an unprofitable in Bangladesh is false. In the 2017, the GSKs net profit was Tk 66.93 crore while the company paid Tk 199.44 crore to the government as revenue and tax. From 2013 to 2017 the total net profit of the GSK in Bangladesh was Tk351.80 crore. In these circumstances how they said GSK was unprofitable in Bangladesh, Elias raised question. If the GSK has been shut down the country people will deprive from getting quality medicine as GSK never compromise with its quality and the government will deprive from getting huge revenue, said Elias, Tapan Dutta, president of Bangladesh Trade Union Federation. Workers leader Safor Ali said the factory has been closed without following the law. This is the conspiracy. The conspiracy must be stopped, he said.