Staff Reporter :
Labour and Employment Adviser Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain stated on Saturday that the government is actively working to issue a red alert through Interpol in order to locate and repatriate absconding factory owners who fled the country without settling outstanding dues to their workers.
Speaking at a shadow parliament session on labour rights, hosted by Debate for Democracy, the Adviser attributed the decline of the country’s industrial sector to past political exploitation and governance failures.
He alleged that several factory owners, many of whom were politically influential and held parliamentary positions, used their status for personal gain rather than ensuring fair treatment of workers.
“Several ministers and MPs from the previous regime, who also owned factories, have fled abroad without paying their workers.
The government is now in the process of liquidating their properties-including homes, vehicles, and land-to compensate the affected employees,” Mr Hossain stated.
Labour and Employment Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman attended the event as a special guest, while Debate for Democracy Chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron presided over the session.
Reflecting on the historic July Uprising, the Adviser said it symbolised the deep frustration and systemic injustice faced by students and workers alike.
He controversially claimed that the dramatic rescue of a female survivor 17 days after the Rana Plaza collapse was “staged,” and held previous governments accountable for negligence that contributed to the tragedy.
Chairman Kiron warned that failing to address workers’ legitimate demands could diminish the progress achieved through the July Uprising.
He urged all political parties to include clear commitments to fair wages and workers’ rights in their election manifestos ahead of the upcoming national polls.
Kiron also alleged that following the fall of the Awami League government, both domestic and foreign vested interests sought to destabilise the garments sector.
He claimed that many instigators of recent labour unrest had no genuine ties to the workers, and further accused elements from the previous administration of misappropriating aid intended for Rana Plaza victims.
As part of the May Day 2025 observances, Tejgaon College emerged victorious over Daffodil International University in the shadow parliament debate competition, organised by Debate for Democracy.
