RMG workers stage demo for salaries, Eid bonus

Around 1,000 garment workers of AKH Group yesterday demonstrated before their factories at Hemayetpur in Savar, demanding salaries for the month of July and Eid bonus.
Earlier, the government had set a deadline till yesterday for paying the salaries to the garment workers.
The agitating workers also blocked a lane of Dhaka-Aricha highway in front of their factories for an hour from 2:30pm, said Abdus Sattar, assistant deputy director of Ashulia Industrial Police.
Transport movement on the highway was hampered by the blockade.
On information, police rushed to the spot and urged the agitators to settle their issues through discussions with the factory authorities, Sattar said.
As the workers refused to comply with their request, police charged truncheons to disperse them from the highway that left 10 workers injured.
The demonstrating workers also vandalised some furniture of their factories.
They finally returned home around 3:30pm after getting assurances from the factory authorities of a payment of their salaries and Eid bonus today.
Contacted, Atiqul Islam, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said almost all factories had already paid salaries and bonus to their workers.
“If any factory fails to pay the salaries and bonus by today, it will pay tomorrow [today],” he added.
Amirul Haque Amin, chairman of Bangladesh Garment Workers Unity Council, said some garment factories were yet to pay the salaries and bonus to their workers.
He, however, could not mention the exact number of such factories.
Khairul Mamun Mintoo, general secretary of Garment Sramik Trade Union Kendra, said at least 300 victims of Rana Plaza tragedy demonstrated in front of the collapsed building, demanding bonus and compensation.