"Sajeeb Group Workers Justice Committee calls for Hashem Foods fire tragedy and child labour to be incorporated into ILO Road Map ", 18 August 2021

Translation of the Sajeeb Group Workers Justice Committee Press Release [16 August 2021]

At a press conference organized by Sajeeb Group Workers Justice Committee...it was demanded to implement ILO roadmap including further investigation into the violation of workers’ rights and distinguish hazardous working conditions at Sajeeb Group’s factory in Narayanganj...

The Sajeeb Group Workers Justice Committee welcomed the findings of the report of [the] investigation committee formed by the Narayanganj district commissioner office into the fire tragedy at Hashem Foods factory...

Now we need to know why child labour was employed in the factory, why there was abusive precarious employment, why the responsible Government authorities failed to ensure a safe working environment and decent work at the Hashem Foods factory, why the management could violate the rules and regulations of various government agencies with impunity, and why the management could simply ignore the fire safety plan of the Fire Service and Civil Defense Department given in October 2020.

The Sajeeb Group Workers Justice Committee said [t]hese questions must be answered since the Government already committed to implementing the ILO Road Map...They also urged Government to form a tripartite monitoring committee to implement the ILO Road Map.

The Justice Committee also called for further investigation into the missing workers still unaccounted for.

...the Justice Committee demands to provide compensation to the deceased and injured workers and their families in accordance with ILO Convention No.121 and in addition to provide fair compensation to the victims, all of the workers working at Hashem Foods should be given their wage arrears, unpaid overtime and lost wages. (Note: Unpaid overtime and wage arrears were the reason for a mass protest action one week before the tragedy.)

The Justice Committee supports the recommendation of inquiry committee to provide a job to an eligible member of each deceased family in another factory of Sajeeb Group another factory. However, they repeated their call that before the employment of the family member...the government must immediately conduct an investigation into the hazardous working conditions, workers occupational health and safety measure in all the factories of Sajeeb Group...