RMG workers strike in Ashulia

About a thousand workers of a garment factory in Beron of Ashulia observed work abstention yesterday demanding the factory authorities pay their salary of July and stop sacking workers, reports our Savar correspondent.

Meanwhile, workers of garment factory Multifab Limited in Gazipur vandalised the factory and also observed work abstention demanding the authorities search for a worker who has been missing since Saturday.

In Ashulia, workers of Yagi Bangladesh Garment Ltd claimed they used to be paid the salary of a month within the first 10 days of the next month, but they have not yet been paid the salary of July.

Witnesses said the workers began observing work abstention when the factory management did not allow 25 workers to enter the factory yesterday morning.

Parveen, a swing operator of the factory, said they demonstrated on Sunday as well for their salary, and that is why 25 of her co-workers were sacked.

The demonstrators said until the factory rehires the sacked workers and pay their salary, they will continue their demonstration.

Md Mostafizur Rahman, director of Ashulia Industrial Police, said the employers have assured payment by today.

Contacted, Md Saidur Rahman, administration officer of the factory, said they did not sack any workers, but just suspended them as they had demonstrated for salary before Eid as well.   

Our Gazipur correspondent reports, garment worker Mehedi Hasan went missing after he left the factory premises on Saturday.

The demonstrators believe one Nazim Uddin, a worker who was sacked the previous week, might be behind Mehedi's disappearance.

They suspect Nazim might have been killed on roof of the factory after finding blood stains there on Sunday.

However, factory authorities claimed the red stains on the roof were made by wet sand.

The workers yesterday hurled brick chips at the factory and broke its windowpanes and doors.

The situation was brought under control after police charged baton and dispersed the demonstrators.