Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former lawmaker Professor Mia Golam Porwar has issued the following statement on 26 April 2020 expressing deep concern as the government has decided to open garment industries phase by phase amid the deteriorating condition of coronavirus outbreak.

The infection and contagion of coronavirus is increasing nationwide. Everyday, hundreds of people are being infected by this virus. Under this critical condition, the government decided to open the factories of the capital Dhaka initially. Later, the factories, located in Savar, Gazipur and Mymensingh would be resumed, the authority further stated. This decision is being taken amid such a condition, when nation is in fear of corona contagion. We are worried about the government’s initiatives. They should take decision more rationally.

We don’t even know about the latest situation of the factories. Whether the factory owner have taken due precautionary measures or not. If any loopholes remain in their arrangement, that that may cause severe disastrous situation across the country.

The garment labor organization claimed that, already some 200 RMG workers became infected by coronavirus. They protested the government decision and claimed, if the authority decides to open the factories now, it may put the worker’s life into danger. They urged the government to withheld their decision of resuming RMG factories.

For the sake of the health security and safety of the RMG workers, we are urging the government and the concerned authorities to ensure proper medical cautionary measures in all the RMG factories prior to resume its operation.