Workers block Savar-Birulia road for 3hrs protesting factory shutdown

Hundreds of RMG workers today blocked the Savar-Birulia bypass road for three hours protesting a sudden indefinite shutdown of their factory without payment of wages.

The road was blocked from 9:00am today, resulting in a nearly four-km long tailback on both sides, our Savar correspondent reports quoting police.

The jam was cleared around 12:00pm after police convinced the workers of Saarc Netware Limited to take position on the side of the road, allowing vehicular movement, Sub-Inspector Apruba Dutta, also in-charge of Birulia Police Outpost, was quoted as saying.

The workers found the factory gate locked in the morning resulting in the demonstration, Rafiqul Islam, president of Bangladesh Garment and Industry Workers' Federation, said.

Factory authorities announced the indefinite shutdown around 9:00am without paying due wages, the workers alleged.

Our Savar correspondent tried to contact Mizanur Rahman, manager (administration) of the factory, but he did not receive the calls.