RMG workers of Ctg factory refrain from work for 4 hrs

Workers of a garment factory of Azim Group in Chittagong refrained from work for four hours yesterday saying the authorities of the factory did not keep their commitment to raise their allowances and increase share of piece-rate on each garment product.
The employees of Orchid Sweater Ltd stopped working around 9:00am. A tensed situation prevailed there since a good number of policemen were deployed at the factory.
Mohammad Munir Hossain, a worker, said 100 workers out of 550 were given money according to the increased piece-rate while the rest were paid as per the previous piece-rate.
"The authorities also did not increase our basic salaries and breakfast allowances, which they promised, leaving us with no other way but stopping work," he said.
"High officials of the factory with the help of law enforcers forced us to return to work around 1:00pm," he said.
However, the factory's Knitting Executive Mohammad Jahir Uddin told The Daily Star that the workers resumed work after they reached an understanding with them around 1:00pm.
On Tuesday, agitating workers of three garment factories of Azim Group--Orchid Sweater Ltd, Global Specialised Garments Ltd (unit-1) and Savar Sweater Ltd--staged demonstrations demanding increase of their share of piece rate on each garment product and breakfast allowance.
They vandalised at least 50 vehicles, mugged commuters, looted shops and hurled brickbats at the weaving division office of the company damaging a few windowpanes.
The workers that day calmed down when the authorities assured them of meeting their demands after holding a meeting with representatives of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the workers.