RMG workers agitate in N'ganj
Protesting the sacking of colleagues, several hundred workers of a readymade garment factory at Fatullah BSCIC Industrial Estate in Narayanganj brought out a procession in the area yesterday morning.
Workers of Abanti Colour Tex Limited of Crony Group also held a protest rally in front of Narayanganj Press Club at Chashara around noon. They also demanded a pay hike.
One of the demonstrators, Kauser Khan, said the factory owners announced in December that each worker would be paid Tk 12,000 as wage. “But our wage was increased to Tk 9,564 from Tk 8,300. Also, the overtime pay did not increase.”
He claimed that the authorities have terminated 1,000 workers as they demanded the pay hike.
At the rally, Iqbal Hossain, general secretary of Garments Sramik Trade Union Kendra, Narayanganj, said the sacked workers must be reinstated. He also demanded a stop to “torture and attack on workers as well as filing of cases against them”.
Contacted, Aslam Sunny, managing director of Crony Group, told The Daily Star that the workers' wage has been increased as per the government announcement and their skill set.
He claimed that the demands made by the workers are illogical. “Some worker leaders have been instigating them,” he alleged.
He also claimed that not 1,000 but 577 workers have been terminated for ransacking the factory and indiscipline. Of the terminated workers, 350 have already been paid their dues, he claimed.
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