Despite fleeing to India after the people’s uprising, Sheikh Hasina’s anti-national conspiracies continue. She is allegedly conducting one plot after another to destabilize Bangladesh. Backed by India’s intelligence agency, RAW, Hasina is reportedly giving instructions to her supporters within the country to create instability in various sectors. The latest attempt to cripple the interim government is the unrest in the garment industry, which has been used as a weapon. Various demands have been raised to incite workers to leave the factories and take to the streets. Taking advantage of the protests, outsiders have been brought in to create chaos under the banner of Jahangir’s group, causing destruction and vandalism. However, garment factory owners and workers have stated that they will not fall into Hasina’s trap and have already sought the help of law enforcement agencies.
Today marks one month since the fall of the authoritarian Sheikh Hasina, with the country celebrating its second victory after the popular uprising. On this occasion, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has announced a nationwide march in memory of the martyrs of the second independence. Despite being in Delhi, Hasina has been involved in various conspiracies over the past month, with India pulling the strings. In an effort to topple the interim government, initial plans included judicial coups, false propaganda about minority oppression, a conspiracy to bring 1 million people to Dhaka on August 15 and 21 to overthrow the government, stirring unrest by encouraging public employees to protest, and an attempt to besiege the Secretariat with Ansar forces. After failing in these attempts, the latest effort to destabilize the government involves creating disorder through labor unrest.
According to intelligence reports, Jahangir Alam, the former mayor of Gazipur, and his group have caused violence in Gazipur, Ashulia, and Tongi. Before August 5, Jahangir’s group had already engaged in criminal activities, and now they are trying to exploit workers’ demands to create chaos.
Experts believe that after the fall of Hasina’s regime, neighboring India has been engaged in various plots to destabilize Bangladesh. Since the interim government took power, India has been making attempts to bring down the government. Having failed, they have now turned to inciting labor unrest. The goal appears to be the destruction of Bangladesh’s primary export sector. Experts stress that those involved in corruption and irregularities during Hasina’s regime should be held accountable, but their companies should not be harmed, as the livelihoods of thousands of workers and their families depend on them.
Professor Dr. Abu Ahmed, an economist and former faculty member of Dhaka University’s Economics Department, told Inquilab that no conspiracy to topple the current government using labor unrest will succeed. He added that while some outside provocations might exist, the achievements of the people’s movement cannot be derailed. He noted that while Bangladeshi workers are known for their tendency to protest, having regained their freedom, they are now inadvertently damaging their own reputation. He expects that workers will soon realize the error of their ways.
Since the interim government took office on August 8, multiple conspiracies have been thwarted. Now, the labor unrest in labor-intensive industries, particularly the garment sector, is being targeted. Since taking office, Interim Prime Minister Dr. Muhammad Yunus has accelerated the country’s development efforts through his visionary leadership. There has already been progress in the return of misappropriated funds by certain individuals and industrial groups. The World Bank, IMF, and other donor organizations have promised substantial financial support. Through diplomatic efforts, the sentences of 57 Bangladeshis in the UAE have been commuted, remittance inflows have improved, and savings of nearly 2,000 crore taka have been realized in the Padma Bridge project. The central bank has begun dismantling and reforming the boards of various banks to restore governance and accountability in the financial sector. Stock markets have stabilized, and foreign investors are showing renewed interest. Under Dr. Yunus’s leadership, the interim government has put the country back on the path of development within just one month. However, the conspirators, having failed to incite an Ansar rebellion, are now attempting to destabilize the government through labor unrest.
Investigations have revealed that most of those involved in the labor unrest and disorder in the garment sector are outsiders. Several advisors have already warned that these issues will be dealt with harshly. Yesterday, an emergency meeting was held regarding the unrest in the garment sector and industrial areas, where the advisors emphasized the need for a firm response to counter Indian conspiracies. They also urged garment owners and genuine workers not to fall into the trap of these Delhi-led conspiracies.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has announced that they will not fall into anyone’s trap and that factories which were closed will reopen today. Yesterday, around 80 garment factories in Ashulia, Savar, declared holidays due to the protests.
At the emergency meeting, Local Government and Rural Development Advisor A.F. Hasan Arif said that most of those involved in the unrest are outsiders. He warned that strict measures will be taken to protect the country’s economy and its workers. Arif added that genuine workers are not responsible for the disorder, as they would not destroy their own livelihood. He urged workers to resist this unrest, assuring them of government support in doing so.
