The tannery industry was shifted from Hazaribagh in the capital to Savar 7 years ago. However, there has been no significant change in the condition of the leather industry. Lack of compliance has reduced the price of indigenous leather in the international market. Tannery workers are also deprived of minimum wages. There is no adequate system to meet the basic needs of workers including housing, medical treatment. They suffer from sickness and rising commodity prices. Some have sent their families to villages to survive in the struggle for life, some have dropped their children out of school. This is how the lives of 8,000 workers working in about 200 tanneries in 155 plots of the labor-intensive and risky industrial area are going.
On May 8, it can be seen on the ground that the production is going on in the tanneries. Leather is coming to the tannery by trucks and vans. The workers carry that skin on their shoulders and enter the prison. Several tanneries have made preparations ahead of Eid al-Adha. Many have already stocked salt and other raw materials.
However, most of the workers working in this industrial city said that their salary is determined based on their experience and not the grade determined by the wage board. Besides, they do not get overtime and holiday benefits. They do not have the necessary medical facilities. They cannot provide proper education for their children.
Many have benefited from the arrival of tanneries. Those who had land and houses here, their wealth is increasing. And the dangers of traders are increasing. The tannery workers left Savar without paying the balance. Almost every day there is a fight with the workers to collect the money. If you want money, you don’t get paid, the salary has been spent – Tofajzel, a grocer
Both permanent and temporary workers work in tanneries. Fariyas or brokers bring leather from outside and process it in various tanneries. They mostly employ temporary workers. On the other hand, many factories also use temporary workers. Fresher workers are not paid any salary here. They are given ‘hand expenses’. Depending on the tannery, less experienced workers are paid 7 thousand to 9 thousand and experienced workers are paid 10 to 12 thousand. The number of women workers in tanneries is also negligible.
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The organizations say that Tannery Workers Union with Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association and Bangladesh Tanners Association has been negotiating and negotiating bilateral agreements every two years for a long time. But the owners always show reluctance to implement the entire agreement. As a result, workers are deprived of their due benefits.
Abdul Malek, General Secretary of Tannery Workers Union, said, we have signed about 22 CBA agreements with the two organizations of owners. Every 2 years these agreements are made. If the minimum wage and CBA agreement were to be implemented, the problems of the workers would have been eliminated. We are trying to settle the demand peacefully.
Tanneries moved to Hemayetpur under the leadership of BSIC in 2017. The following year, the Wage Board announced minimum wages for tannery workers. Where tannery workers are paid in 5 grades based on their skills. The minimum salary of workers is fixed at 13 thousand 500 taka.
However, a recent survey by research institute CPD says that 69 percent of tanneries do not have any grading. According to the survey on setting the minimum wage for tannery workers, the minimum wage of tannery workers in Bangladesh is much lower than in Vietnam, Indonesia, and India. The survey was conducted among 35 tannery workers in Savar.
No worker should remain as a temporary worker if the terms of the contract are properly implemented. However, permanent workers could not become ‘permanent’ even after working for 10 to 15 years or more. Even after a long time they are being termed as temporary and are being denied the benefits due to permanent workers. Besides, the owners are not willing to provide housing and medical facilities for the workers as promised.
The leaders of labor organizations say that if the conditions of the contract are properly implemented, no worker should remain as a temporary worker. However, permanent workers could not become ‘permanent’ even after working for 10 to 15 years or more. Even after a long time they are being termed as temporary and are being denied the benefits due to permanent workers. Besides, the owners are not willing to provide housing and medical facilities for the workers as promised.
The salary is low, the family does not survive
Most of the tannery workers live in Harindhara, Jhauchar, Jadurchar area of Tentuljhora union in Savar. But a part of workers live in old Dhaka. Tannery owners have arranged buses to take them. These buses are kept at Gate No. 3 and 4 of Tannery.
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Talked to tannery worker Abdul Ahad in the tea shop adjacent to Apex Tannery in that area. He has worked for a long time in several tanneries including Bay, Apex. This worker said that most of the workers do not get the minimum wage. It is not possible to run a family with the money that I get paid. Many of those who come from Hazaribagh have their own houses. They don’t have to pay rent, so they can afford to stay. Most of the laborers in Savar are indebted.
He said, I worked in Hazaribagh for 3-4 years. I have been working here for 7 years. Workers like me get a salary of 8 to 9 thousand taka. This salary does not support the family. I have sent my wife and children to Barisal after Corona. The cost has increased so much that the salary is not enough.
Another worker sitting in the shop said that many families take loans from cooperative societies. Later repay the loan in monthly installments. I pay one installment, 1800 per month. Last year I took a loan of 20 thousand rupees due to my wife’s illness.
Shahjahan Ali is working in Bhulua Tannery from Dasar in Madaripur. He is staying in a Tinsed house in Jhauchar Kachabazar area. He said, I have been working for three months. Salary has not been decided yet. A little bit of hand wear has been caught.
Regarding the cost of house rent and accommodation, he said, there is no room below two and a half thousand rupees. There are two in a room. Electricity and gas bills together cost 4 thousand rupees just to stay. Including food and other expenses, a worker spends 7 to 8 thousand rupees.
Lack of compliance has reduced our production. The unit price has come down a lot. Before 2017, I used to export leather for one and a half dollars. It now has to be exported at 70 cents. We are not pricing leather. No tannery in Savar has got LWG certificate – Tanners Association President Shaheen Ahmed
Talked to the grocer Tofajzel in Harindhara market. He told Jago News that many people have benefited from the arrival of the tannery. Those who had land and houses here, their wealth is increasing. And the dangers of traders are increasing. The tannery workers left Savar without paying the balance. Almost every day there is a fight with the workers to collect the money. Asking for money does not mean salary, the salary has been spent.
No standard educational and medical institutions
Earlier this month, a worker lost three fingers in an accident at Samata Tannery. He was taken to a nearby hospital for first aid. However, the workers said that he had to be sent to the Paralympic Hospital in Dhaka without receiving treatment at the hospital. Tannery officials say that although there are several diagnostic centers in Harindhara and Jhauchar areas, there is no specialized hospital or any government hospital. Because of this, workers have to run to Dhaka in case of any major accident or disease. Tannery area has 5 to 6 hospitals. A few NGOs sometimes organize medical camps in the office of the trade union inside the tannery.
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The concerned also said that the workers are suffering from fever, cold and skin diseases. Besides, the workers were victims of chemical accidents. Most of the workers keep the disease and want to go to Dhaka for treatment. They depend on free medicines provided by medical camps for other ailments.
CPD’s survey says that 41.9 percent of workers suffer from respiratory diseases, 64.8 percent from allergies, 27.6 percent from skin diseases and 32.4 percent from eye problems.
Abdul Malek, General Secretary of Tannery Workers Union, said that our long-standing demand from the owners was to build a hospital. The owners promised us hospital in Savar. I demanded accommodation. But none was implemented.
The same is the case with the education system. Tannery area has two private schools and three government schools. There are also several madrassas. But the children of laborers study more in madrasas than in schools.
Founder and Principal Advocate Jamal Uddin of Jhauchar Al Noor Model Academy School said that more than 150 students study in his school up to 8th grade. Out of which 50 to 60 are children of tannery workers.
He told Jago News that children of workers study more in madrassas. There the cost is less, and the child can stay in the madrasa all day. Most of the laborers and their wives work outside. Salaries in schools and madrassas are close. However, if you study in school, there is an additional cost of coaching, books.
Talk to Bay Tannery’s setting operator Mohammad Selim. He has been working in tannery for 3 years. He has seen many ups and downs of the tannery. He told Jago News that our expectations were not fulfilled when we came to Savar. Heard many promises, but nothing happened. I don’t know any other work, otherwise I would have left this profession. When I came here, the owners promised to provide accommodation, schools and everything. Everyone knows what happened. Except for a handful of establishments none pay wages as per wage board norms. Owners talk about losses. But I have seen many tannery owners from zero to hero. I accepted everything thinking destiny.
Tannery Workers Union President Abul Kalam Azad told Jago News that tannery workers do not get quality education and treatment. Most of the workers cannot afford to educate their children. Now some people are educating their children without eating according to the needs of the age. Due to scarcity, many people make use of children.
He said, starting from skin diseases, there is no disease that tannery workers do not suffer from. About hundreds of chemicals are used. Each is harmful to health. Shortness of breath, hypertension, these diseases are common among workers. There are no good doctors in the nearby clinics. It’s time to announce new wages for workers. We have demanded a minimum wage of 25 thousand rupees. Besides, I have made several demands to improve the quality of life of the workers. If these are met, the workers will be better off.
However, the president of Bangladesh Tanners Association, Shaheen Ahmed, claimed that the tanneries are failing due to the increase in fuel prices and the lack of certification. He told Jago News that our main challenge is compliance. Our workers are also suffering due to lack of this. We are trying to ETP ourselves to ensure compliance. But BSIC is not doing ETP properly, again not approving our ETP proposal. Bisik could not give us a complete industrial city. Tannery owners have been allotted 154 plots. But they did not provide the workers with accommodation and other facilities.
He further said that due to lack of compliance our production has decreased. The unit price has come down a lot. Before 2017, I used to export leather for one and a half dollars. It now has to be exported at 70 cents. We are not pricing leather. No tannery in Savar has received LWG certificate.
Regarding the complaints of the workers, he said that the tanneries belonging to the union are implementing the agreement. Small tanneries outside the Union are unable to export. Doing some business internally. They are unable to implement the agreement.
SM/MHR/ASM
