RMG workers block Savar road over arrears

Around 3,000 RMG workers and staff members of two factories in Savar blocked a road for four hours in two phases yesterday, demanding arrears.

They blocked the Hemayetpur-Singair road around 10am. Following assurance from law enforcers and worker leaders, they left the area around 12:30pm and took position inside the factory premises.

Around 5:30pm, they once again blocked the road and stayed there for over an hour. Workers left the place at 7pm after worker leaders went to the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments office in Dhaka to discuss the issue.

BGMEA officials and owner of the both factories are also present at the meeting there, Kabir Hossain, vice president of National Garment Workers' Federation, told this correspondent around 7:30pm. He said the meeting was still going on.

He said the owner has decided to shut down the factories and they were negotiating on how soon he can clear the dues.

Workers of "Raquef Apparels Washing and Packaging Industry" and "Passion Jeans Ltd" in Savar's Tatuljhora area said they were supposed to get paid for the month of January within the first week of February.

Instead, the authorities said they would pay the salary yesterday. When workers went to the factory in the morning, they did not find any one, prompting them to take to the streets.

Meanwhile, staff members of both the factories alleged that they did not get salaries for last four month. They also expressed solidarity with the workers' demand.

Fazlul Haque, a staffer of Passion Jeans Ltd, said, "I only got some Tk 15,000 out of Tk 80,000 salary in the last four month. How can I maintain my family if this persists?"

Contacted, Abul Kalam, deputy general manager (production) of both the factories, said he is not handling the matter and it would be best to contact DGM (admin) Shakil Mahmud in this regard.

Despite repeated attempts, Shakil could not be contacted for comments.

AFM Sayeed, officer-in-charge of Savar Model Police Station, said vehicular movement on the road was normal by evening.

Law enforcers were deployed in the area to avoid any untoward situation, he added.