Garment workers demand food rationing

Garment workers yesterday submitted a memorandum to Food Minister Quamrul Islam demanding introduction of monthly food rationing system along with government subsidy for them to cope with the price hike of essentials, reports UNB.
A seven-member delegation of workers’ representatives submitted the memorandum to the minister at his Secretariat office after a human chain programme in front of the National Press Club.
In the memorandum, the workers said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her election manifesto in 2009 declared to introduce rationing system for workers if her party forms the government. They said though an initiative was taken to distribute rice among workers it turned ineffective for lack of coordination.
The workers hoped that the Prime Minister will allow the rationing system to fulfil her election pledge. “If the armed forces, the police and other forces can enjoy food rationing, then why can’t the garment sector workers enjoy it as the prime earners of foreign currency?” They proposed creating a data base of the workers before initiating the rationing system.
They also proposed providing each worker’s family having four persons with 30kg rice, 15 kg flour, 5kg pulse, 3 litre edible oil, 5kg sugar and 2 kg powder milk for children as monthly ration. “Each worker family will only give Tk 1,000 for the food items while the government will provide the rest of the money as subsidy.”
Earlier at the human chain programme, they placed a seven-point demand, including announcement of 50 percent dearness allowance for the garment workers from January this year before announcing the next wage board for them.

Garment workers demand food rationing

Garment workers yesterday submitted a memorandum to Food Minister Quamrul Islam demanding introduction of monthly food rationing system along with government subsidy for them to cope with the price hike of essentials, reports UNB. A seven-member delegation of workers representatives submitted the memorandum to the minister at his Secretariat office after a human chain programme in front of the National Press Club. In the memorandum, the workers said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her election manifesto in 2009 declared to introduce rationing system for workers if her party forms the government. They said though an initiative was taken to distribute rice among workers it turned ineffective for lack of coordination. The workers hoped that the Prime Minister will allow the rationing system to fulfil her election pledge. If the armed forces, the police and other forces can enjoy food rationing, then why cant the garment sector workers enjoy it as the prime earners of foreign currency? They proposed creating a data base of the workers before initiating the rationing system. They also proposed providing each workers family having four persons with 30kg rice, 15 kg flour, 5kg pulse, 3 litre edible oil, 5kg sugar and 2 kg powder milk for children as monthly ration. Each worker family will only give Tk 1,000 for the food items while the government will provide the rest of the money as subsidy. Earlier at the human chain programme, they placed a seven-point demand, including announcement of 50 percent dearness allowance for the garment workers from January this year before announcing the next wage board for them.