Garment factory workers in Savar and Chittagong demonstrated yesterday demanding festival bonuses immediately as Eid-ul-Fitr is only about a week away.
Nearly 1,000 workers of Rakib Fashion in Tetuljhora of Savar demonstrated on the factory premises demanding that they be paid Eid bonuses immediately, reports our Savar correspondent.
They also brought out a short procession on the road in front of the factory.
Mirza Shaijuddin, inspector of Ashulia Industrial Police, said the workers had received their salaries on Monday, but did not get Eid bonuses. When the workers asked about Eid bonuses, the authorities told them that the festival bonuses would be paid on July 26, he said, adding that the workers said July 26 was too late and demanded bonuses immediately.
The workers dispersed after police were deployed.      
Meanwhile in Chittagong city, several hundred workers of New Era Fashion Ltd vandalised the factory demanding bonuses and advance salaries for the month of July, according to our Chittagong correspondent.
The workers threw brick chips at the three-storey building and vandalised the factory's furniture, said witnesses.
At one stage, police rushed to the spot and tried to take control of the situation.
The workers withdrew the demonstration after a meeting between the factory authorities and workers' representatives where it was decided that the workers would get the basic salaries of month July and Eid bonuses within two days, said police.