New police service in Ctg for female RMG workers

The Chittagong Metropolitan Police is going to launch a fresh service to quell violence towards female RMG workers in the city.

The CMP officials hope that the special service would come into force by July, 2011.

The police say, according to the new service system, two deputy commissioners and four assistant commissioners will receive complaints over phone about sexual harassments and other violence against the workers.

According to the magnitude of the complaints, the respective police officers will give the victims legal suggestions and, if necessary, the police will lodge cases, the police tell New Age.

The police officials say they have mulled over the service since long as the 3.5 lakh female RMG workers in the port city often face violence and sexual harassment at their workplaces and on their way home.

They think that the service will ensure security of the workers so that they can return home safely with their belongings and move freely.

The police say that the complaints can be filed with deputy commissioner (North) Amena Begum at 01713373253, deputy commissioner (Port) Kushum Dewan at 01713373264, assistant commissioner (Kotwali) Manjur Morshed at 01713373254, assistant commissioner (Panchlaish) Abdul Mannan at 01713373255, assistant commissioner (Double-mooring) SM Tanvir Arafat at 01713373266 and assistant commissioner (Port) Emran Hussain Bhuyian at 01713373265.

CPM deputy commissioner Amena Begum tells, 'We will hold a meeting on the new service system with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association authorities with in shortest possible time for the service's successful implementation.'

She also hopes that through the service the violence towards female workers will be curbed to a large extent.

Assistant police commissioner (Kotwali) Manjur Morshed says the police will inspect the garment factories and talk with the female workers and the members of the Workers' Welfare Committees and receive information on the problems the workers face at workplaces and on the way.

The police also supply mobile numbers of the respective police officers to the workers that they can launch complaints at any time, Manjur Morshed says.

BGMEA first vice-president Nasir Uddin Chowdhury welcomes the police initiative and thinks through the service the security of the workers will be ensured: 'The workers will regain their confidence to come to the workplaces and return home safely.'

Bangladesh OSK Garment and Textile Workers' Federation Chittagong unit convener Abdur Razzaque, however, expresses his doubt over the new police initiatives.

'Female RMG workers face sexual harassment and are often killed across the country and the police fail to curb the crimes,' he says.

He also complains that the police failed to play their role when RMG worker Panna Rani Das was raped and later killed in the Chittagong city on July 8.

Source : New Age