Trade union leaders and labour rights activists on Tuesday urged the government to secure jobs for tannery workers before taking any punitive actions against the industry.
They made the demand at a discussion on Tuesday when the Department of Environment moved to shut down tanneries for environmental pollution at Hemayetpur in Savar, on the outskirts of the capital, causing concerns among tannery workers over the security of their employment.
Bangladesh Tannery Workers Union and American Center for International Labor Solidarity (Solidarity Center) jointly organised the discussion in the capital.
Tannery Workers Union president Abul Kalam Azad said workers were not responsible for any pollution. Yet they might be the worst-hit victims of factory closure if the government acts on the decision.
“Punish the people responsible for pollution, don’t shut down factories,” he said.
Bangladesh Poribesh Bachao Andolan Chairman Abu Nasher Khan said tanneries were relocated from Hazaribagh to Savar to ensure better working conditions and create better business opportunities.
As the agencies failed to ensure green production, the section became more vulnerable, he said, adding that no development was a real one without addressing the environment.
Tanneries would be green factories if the government could ensure accountability of the project officials, said Labour Court Bar Association President Selim Ahsan Khan.
Tannery Workers Union General Secretary Abdul Maleque, Solidarity Center Programme Officer Mohammad Nazrul Islam and leaders from different trade unions, researchers and labour rights activists among others were present at the event.
