RMG workers continue demo for wages in Dhaka, Chattogram, Gazipur

Thousands of export-oriented readymade garment workers on Wednesday took to the streets in Dhaka, Chattogram, Gazipur and Savar for wages of March while a factory at Ashulia reportedly dismissed its workers.

Industrial Police and labour leaders said that workers of at least 40 factories across the country went on protests demanding unpaid wages ignoring calls for maintaining physical distances and hygiene to halt coronavirus spread.  

Alpha Clothing Limited administration at Ashulia discharged over 150 workers.

Workers complained that the management started paying wages in the morning and pressurised the workers into resigning from their jobs and seized their ID cards.

Those who refused to hand over the ID cards were not paid wages, said Khairul Mamun Mintu, organising secretary of Garment Workers Trade Union Centre.

Alpha Clothing Limited officers, however, could not be reached after repeated attempts for their comments on the allegation. 

Workers of over 12 factories at Savar and Ashulia areas also demonstrated for wages.

Several thousand workers of different factories at Uttara, Uttarkhan, Dakkhin Khan, Mirpur and Kamalapur staged protests blocking roads in demand of wages.

Agitated workers at Uttara blocked the Airport Road at 10:00am for hours and continued their demonstrations on the road till 3:00pm as workers from nearby factories, including Yakub Fashion and Super Style, joined them.

According to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association data, a total of 1,186 factories out of 2,274 paid wages within Wednesday.

BGMEA president Rubana Huq told reporters that garment industries were facing unprecedented challenge of existence due to COVID-19 that created a crisis nobody has experienced before.

She said that BGMEA requested all of its members to clear the wages of March on time despite the challenges including uncertainty from brands about all cancellations or postponement of present orders, works in process and future placement which had already exceeded $3.15 billion.

New Age correspondent in Gazipur reported that thousands of workers of at least 25 garment factories took to the street on Wednesday.

Workers blocked Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway and Dhaka-Gazipur Road for hours lying electric poles and wood logs on the roads, Assistant superintendent of Industrial Police Mustafizur Rahman said.

Gazipur Industrial Police’s inspector Shahidul Islam said that Style Craft and Intramax garment workers withdrew the blockade after three hours when the employers assured them of paying wages by April 20.

Mustafizur Rahman said that no untoward incident took place anywhere as sufficient police forces were deployed in the industrial belt to maintain law and order situation.

New Age correspondent in Chattagram reported that hundreds of workers of two garment factories demonstrated for wages at CEPZ and Aturar Depot areas on Wednesday.

Workers of Padma Wears Ltd staged protests from 8:00 to 10:00am near the Chattogram Export Processing Zone area.

Later industrial police brought the situation under control after talking to the owners.

Industrial Police senior assistant police superintendent Helal Uddin said that about 2,000 workers of Padma Wears started protests as their employer refused to pay them wages and gave a tentative time on April 19 for wage payment.

Agitating workers were dispersed, said Helal Uddin adding that the employer said them that he would pay on April 19.

Factory’s Workers Welfare Association president Obaidul Islam, however, said that the owners refused to pay by April 16, though the government had repeatedly asked them to do so.

He alleged that the authorities even did not confirm them whether they would pay on April 19.

Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority refused to comment about the situation.

Meanwhile, workers of Etyadi Garments protested at Aturar Depot area in Chattogram on Wednesday for wages.

They blocked a road for two hours.

Bayezid police station officer-in-charge Priton Sarkar said that they had dispersed the workers.

State minister for labour and employment Munnujan Sufian on Monday asked all industry owners to pay wages of March by today.

In a statement, she also warned that legal actions would be taken against owners if they failed to follow the directive.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net