No work for 53 days

Over 300 workers of Surma Garments Ltd in Aichanadda area of Savar have been laid off for 53 days, which will be in effect from July 1, alleged workers.

The workers claimed that the authorities paid their salary and bonus yesterday but also served them a lay-off slip saying that due to a lack of adequate work they were laid off.

The possible joining date will be August 23 as per the slip, they said. The slip also mentioned that the workers were laid off under the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, which has a provision for laying off workers if there were not enough work at the factory.

But the workers alleged that the authorities wanted to terminate their employment permanently. The factory has more than 1,500 workers, they added.

“The authorities did not provide any specific notice regarding how many workers were laid off,” said Raihan Hossen, a laid-off sewing machine operator at the factory. The authorities gave individual notices to the workers, he alleged.

Ramjan Ali, another worker, said after getting the lay-off slip they wanted to know the reason behind it but they (factory authorities) did not make any comment. Many of the workers claimed that the number of the laid-off employees would be more than 300. They said they will protest the decision after Eid.

This newspaper tried to contact Mohammad Ali, general manager of the factory, numerous times but his mobile phone was found switched off.

Rafikul Islam Sujan, president of Bangladesh Garments and Shilpa Sramik Federation, also protested the incident.