Brahmanbaria gas field staff go on strike over Eid bonus

Workers of Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Limited in Brahmanbaria staged a demonstration this morning, to protest a decision of the authorities to slash Eid bonuses of their second and third class employees.

The protesters staged a sit-in in front of the main gate and at one stage, leaders of the employees' union padlocked the head office at Birasa in the town, reports our local correspondent.

They observed a two-hour work strike from 8:00am, demanding withdrawal of the decision within the next four days.

Md Shah Alam, president of the employees' union, said they have been receiving Eid bonuses since 1986 following an agreement.

On June 8, the authorities in a board meeting decided to cut the bonus from the salaries of second and third class employees and to not pay taxes for them, which the company has been paying for long.

If their demand is not met, they will move for further demonstration at five other gas fields, Alam said.

Bangladesh Gas Fields Employees Union General Secretary Md Murshedul Alam, Joint General Secretary Abu Afjal, Senior Vice President Abdul Abdul Gafur were among others present at the demonstration.