Tannery workers stage demo in Savar

Thousands of tannery workers at Savar Tannery Industrial Estate today staged demonstration demanding of basic workplace rights and facilities.

Marking the historic ‘May Day’, around 4000 workers of several tanneries wearing red dresses and carrying red flags brought out a rally around 10:00am under the banner of Tannery Workers’ Union, reports our Savar correspondent.

Their demands include -- implementation of minimum wage declared by the government, stopping work under contractor according to bipartite contractual condition, implementation of all the rights in accordance with the law, a hospital at the estate, one canteen per factory, housing facility, environment friendly modern Tannery Industrial Estate by executing the Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), etc.

Abdul Maleque, general secretary of the union, claimed that more than 7,000 to 8,000 workers lost their job after tanneries were shifted from Hazaribagh and the termination continues. He demanded an end to the termination of workers.

The leaders of the Tannery Workers’ Union also threatened to stage tougher movement if their demands are not met soon.