On Thursday, the first day of this ongoing lockdown has been passed without any hassle through obeying the directed rules strictly in Savar, on the outskirts of the capital. However, RMG workers were had to face trouble as most of the factory authorities did not ensure transport facilities for all workers despite government order.
Md. Mazharul Islam, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Savar told The Bangladesh Post, “Police, Army, BGB were patrolling continuously; even our magistrates were also on the road to enforced hard lockdown since morning. We even operated multiple drives at several kitchen markets and fined as well.
By visiting several areas, it was seen that all shopping malls and other visiting places remained closed except kitchen markets and freight vehicles, on the first day of this lockdown, including all kinds of public transport as well. Therefore RMG workers and office goers had to face trouble due to transport crisis, as many of RMG factories authority did not arranges transport for their workers.
While talking to multiple RMG workers, they alleged that most of the factory did not arrange transport for workers, and the workers demanded to ensure transport service for them, if factories authority remains to open their factory amid this lockdown.
Bangladesh Post sees that many RMG workers and other office-goers were waiting long for a rickshaw, and many other were had to go to their workplace on foot, after failing to arrange a rickshaw or any alternative.
Savar UNO said the government allowed remaining open readymade garment (RMG) factories operation conditionally, and to ensure transport facilities for workers is one of those conditions, though many of the authorities did not ensure it, and I already informed the matter to the district administration.
UNO said this in a response to the question that what kind of steps they are taken to enforced transport facilities for RMG workers as many factory workers suffer from transport crisis for not ensuring transport for them.
Md. Asaduzzaman, SP, Industrial Police-01 told The Bangladesh Post, “We are working our best to ensure all kinds of facilities for workers since the pandemic began. Transport facility is supposed to ensure by factory authorities, despite that, we are communicating with factory authorities to solve these issues.