UNB :
Traffic movement on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway remained suspended since Sunday morning as the workers of two readymade garment factories put barricade on the highway demanding payment of their dues.
The workers of Interlink Apparels factory in Maleker Bari area and another in Bhogra in the city corporation area found the gates of the factories shut in the morning.
Workers said said the authorities were scheduled to pay the salaries of the previous month today.
But without paying their salaries, the garments authorities hanged a notice on the gates saying the production of in factories will remain suspended till October 24.
Angered by their decision, the workers of the two factories took to the streets around 9 am and put up barricade on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, halting traffic movement on the busy highway.
Zakir Hossain, deputy police commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said they are trying to resolve the problem after talking to the authorities concerned and the protesting workers.
Meanwhile, hundreds of readymade garment factory workers blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway on Sunday, after their factories were closed without paying their dues.
Traffic on one of the busiest highways in the country was suspended for five hours until 2pm, when the workers lifted the blockade following assurances from the police.
Deputy Commissioner Zakir Hossain of the Gazipur Metropolitan Police said that representatives of the workers, members of the industrial police, and metropolitan police were discussing a settlement at the factory.
The workers claimed the authorities were supposed to pay their salaries for the previous month on Sunday. But factory management put up a notice on the entrances saying that production would be halted until October 24.
Angered by their decision, the workers of two factories, Interlink Apparels LTD in Vogra and another in Basan, took to the streets around 9am.
Several workers of Interlink Apparels Limited said they returned to their homes after working on Thursday. When they returned to work on Sunday after the weekend, a notice of closure was posted on the factory gates.
According to the workers, they were not informed of the notice issued by the factory management.
While the authorities made no comments, the closure notice said that the factory had suffered severe damages due to the pandemic and hence they could no longer continue to operate.
Therefore, in accordance with the law, all sections of the factory will remain closed until October 24.
Deputy Commissioner Zakir of the Gazipur metro police said they were trying to resolve the issue by talking to both the authorities and the workers involved.
