News Desk :
Workers of a ready-made garment factory have blockaded the Dhaka-Chattogram and Dhaka-Sylhet highways at Kanchpur under Sonargaon upazila in Narayanganj demanding three months’ arrears.
They blockaded the highways at about 9:00am on Thursday putting trucks, oick-up vans and electric poles. At that time, they chanted slogans in favour of their demands.
Several thousands of goods carrying vehicles and private cars were stranded on both the highways due to the blockades by wprkers of Sinha and Open Groups. As a result, acute congestion on the highways was created. Receiving information, Sonargaon upazila nirbahi officer Atiqul Islam, Narayganj’s additional police super Md Billal Hossain, and Sonargaon Police Station OC Hafizur Rahman went to the spot.
The movement of workers that began at about 9:00am was going on till writing this report at 4:00pm.
Workers have alleged that they agitated in the past demanding their outstanding arrears. Police administration gave them assurance of paying their arrears talking with the owner. But, nothing was yielded. They still await for three months’ arrears.
“The government has imposed a strict lockdown in the country. We are to pay room rents, for groceries, expenses of our families. Many of our families pass days almost without food everyday. There is nobody to look after us. Our movement will continue until our demands are met,” one of the workers said.
Meanwhile, workers of a garment factory have blocked roads in Gazipur demanding arrears of salary, and bonus. They blocked the Dhaka-Gazipur road in Laxmipura area of Gazipur City Corporation on Thursday morning.
According to garment workers and industrial police sources, about 4,000 workers and employees work in a garment factory called Style Craft Limited in Laxmipura area. In the last few years, the factory owners and authorities have made arrears of six months’ salary and attendance of the workers and employees. Every month the workers have to agitate for wages. Even before the last Eid, they had to take salary by agitation.
The workers and employees of the factory started protesting inside the factory at 9 am today. At one stage, the agitated workers took position in front of the factory with a bamboo barricade on the Gazipur-Dhaka highway. This caused traffic jam on both sides.
Workers were on the road until this report was filed at around 12:15 pm.
The workers said they could not pay the rent and other expenses of the shop without getting paid. The demanded the payment of eight months arrears of salary, attendance and bonus.
Gazipur Sadar Police Officer-in-Charge Rafiqul Islam said the workers and staff were not getting their salaries. “They have taken position on the road demanding salary. We are talking with the owner and trying to resolve the issue.”
