Rumour of death triggers RMG workers’ protest
Workers of a readymade garment (RMG) factory took to the streets in Dhamrai of Dhaka following a rumour that several of their co-workers were killed in a road accident yesterday.
Around 1,000 workers of Mahmuda Attires Ltd blocked Dhaka-Aricha highway in front of the factory for one and a half hours, said police.
Earlier in the day, 20 to 25 workers were injured as a bus carrying them and a truck collided head-on in Bathuli area, around two kimoletres off the factory, said Dipak Saha, officer-in-charge of Dhamrai Police Station.
The workers were going to their workplaces, he said.
The injured were taken to the medical centre of the factory, the OC said. As soon as the rumour swept through their fellows, they left their workplaces bringing an allegation of negligence.
The workers alleged that management staff misbehaved with them when they asked them to send the victims to a hospital by ambulances.
During the blockade, the demonstrators said their factory has no ambulance service of its own. They demanded introduction of at least two ambulances and proper medical service.
The police officer said the injured were later sent to Manikganj General Hospital.
The workers left the highway around 9:30am after law enforcers and factory authorities assured them of meeting their demands, said the OC.
The authorities, who kept the factory shut yesterday to avert violence, will sit with the workers today over the issue, OC Dipak Saha quoted factory authorities as saying.
Factory Managing Director Mahmud Hasan Khan could not be contacted as his cellphone was found switched off.
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