Agitation outside the DEPZ meanwhile continued yesterday amid heavy security measures. At least 35 workers were injured in different areas of Savar and Gazipur as police clubbed demonstrators demanding higher wages and other benefits and protesting against indecent behaviour of factory officials.

Crisis plagued the DEPZ as imported goods remained stranded on both sides of the road in the extension area of the zone as the factory owners could not unload raw materials for the fourth day yesterday.

The decision for withdrawing the indefinite closure of factories was taken at a meeting between the leaders of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza) and Bangladesh EPZ Investors Association (Bepzia) at the Bepza office in Dhaka yesterday.

While the government assured the investors of tightening the security and restricting outsiders' entry to the zone, the entrepreneurs also agreed to comply with all the Bepza rules, including those on the workers' salaries and other rights.

The factory owners also agreed to clear all outstanding salaries, wages and overtime bills of their workers on the day of reopening the factories.

Videoconferencing with the meeting from South Korea, Bepzia Chairman Kihak Sung alleged that when outsiders were damaging DEPZ factories, law enforcers present at the spot remained inactive, watching the destruction rather than saving the factories.

"The [Bepza] executive chairman set a deadline to reopen the factories in DEPZ on June 8 and we have agreed to follow his order," said Sung, also chairman of Youngone group, when asked if the investors are satisfied with the security and other measures taken so far by the government.

"Damaging factories is a criminal act and...it is the responsibility of Bepza to handle it. We are strongly demanding security and protection from the government," Sung told the Bepza executive chairman, adding, "If the security people watch the situation or come later in future it will be very bad."

A Bepzia press release said yesterday, "The Bepza chairman clearly stated that he will have 'zero tolerance' for any vandalism inside the zone or the factories. Appropriate speedy legal action will be taken against violators."

Improved transport facilities through extended service for "the comfort and safety of the workers" were also agreed at the meeting, the release said.

Speaking at a press briefing after the meeting, newly appointed Bepza Executive Chairman Brig Gen Ashraf Abdullah Yussuf said the investors have also to meet the legitimate demands of the workers.

"Eighty to 90 per cent demands of the workers are according to the Bepza rules and the investors have to meet these demands. Many factory owners are already following the Bepza rules regarding salaries and other financial benefits but those who have not implemented them yet have to do it. Otherwise, the government will take actions against them," said Yussuf, who took office on Monday.

On tightening security, he said no outsider will be allowed in the DEPZ and there will be special arrangements for the workers' entry. The factory owners will also have their own security arrangements.

"Many of the factory owners do not follow the Bepza rules and we will force them to follow these rules," the executive chairman said, adding that stern actions will be taken against them, if necessary.

Asked whether army will be deployed at the DEPZ, he said the situation has not been bad enough for that measure.

Meanwhile, the investors said they will not accept some of the workers' demands as they are not in accordance with the Bepza rules.

"But one has to keep in mind that there is a big difference between the salary structures in the EPZs and outside," said a Bepzia member. The workers are demanding raising the ceiling of minimum wages, for example, to Tk 1,500 from the existing Tk 900. "But our workers are getting Tk 3,000 as minimum wages," he added.

AGITATION OUTSIDE DEPZ
About 30 workers of Hot Dress Fashion Ltd at Kalma in Savar were injured yesterday afternoon when police charged batons on demonstrators, who were protesting a fellow worker's being beaten by a factory official.

In another incident, the law enforcers swooped on the workers of Ocean and Design Ltd at Jamgora after the factory authorities declared a sudden closure yesterday morning.

The workers of Ocean and Design Ltd alleged that the authorities compelled them to work until 3:00am to meet the shipment deadline.

Production of at least a dozen factories at Jamgora, Ashulia and Kalma were halted after workers of those factories went on a strike to meet their demands.

Operations in the factories, however, resumed after the authorities assured them of fulfilling the demands partially.