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Foreign investors oppose trade unions in factories

General Manager of Chittagong EPZ Ataul Hoque said there is no alternative to formation of workers' associations

Jasim Uddin Khan
Foreign investors in and around Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) have warned that the introduction of trade unions at factory level will hold back further investment in the port city.
Foreign investors in the area from Japan. Korea, Malaysia and Thailand also warned that the move could disrupt production in existing enterprises.
However, workers' representatives said the introduction of unions would help safeguard workers' rights.
In the CEPZ, 87 industrial urrits have so far formed workers' associations and the rest are in the process to do so.
'Tn true sense, trade union has no problem but in Bangladeshi style it is dangerous. We do not want to see the legacy of the trade unionism in our plants," said Yasufumi Matsuo, executive director of Op-Seed Co. (BD) Ltd, an electronics and electrical goods manufacturing company.
The company management has urged the EPZ authorities not to introduce the traditional trade unionism in the EPZ.
Matsuo said if the union is directed by external forces, there will be chaos at the factory and production will witness a serious setback.
"Bangladeshi workers are not that literate. Anyone outside the factory can ignite them by spreading rumors that can lead them to burst into violence," he explained.
He suggested that Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza) introduce a system so that trade unions cannot hamper normal production at any factories. "Workers themselves should
raise their voice for their basic needs from inside the factory," he said.
Ashish Chakraborty, assistant general manager and company secretary of Mamiya-OP that makes golf shafts, said they are apprehensive about the aftermaths of introducing
workers' welfare association.
"Introducing workers' unions was not mandatory when the factories were set up, but now the investors have to accept the unions as a must. These may create problems in future," he said.
Sho Sui Lim, general manager of a zipper manufacturing plant outside the CEPZ, said they were instructed to form workers' welfare association.
"The government should ensure that no external elements will be able to spread anger among the workers in the name of their rights in future. We fear the workers’ unions will be used to destabilise factories in Chittagong,” Lim said.
However, Zaheda Aktar, a leader of a newly formed workers' association of a factory, said such associations will help safeguard the workers' rights.
As the government will have control over the associations, these will not hamper production and discourage foreign investment to any extent, she added.
When asked, General Manager of the CEPZ Ataul Hoque said there is no alternative to formation of workers' associations.
"We are holding regular meetings with the management of different factories to make them understand that such associations will not hamper their production,” Hoque added.
jasim@thedailystar.net