RMG workers continue blockade on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway for 48 hrs

Workers of TNZ Apparels factory demonstrate blocking the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Gazipur for the third consecutive day demanding their arrears.

They have continued their blockade on the highway for more than 48 hours at a stretch for not receiving their wages even after being promised by the authorities.

The workers were seen carrying out the blockade at Maleker Bari area in the city around 8:00am in the morning today, Monday. Considering the overall situation, a total of 12 factories in the surrounding areas have been announced closed.

Sources at the industrial police and the workers said about 3,000 workers from six factories of TNZ Apparels in Mogarkhal area of Gazipur are not receiving wages for the last three months.

During several rounds of protest, members of different law enforcement agencies including the industrial police had promised that their arrears would be paid. The workers had trusted them and returned to work. However, despite fixing the date of paying arrears several times the authorities did not pay it.

The workers being displeased started gathering in front of the factory from 8:00 am on Saturday. They started demonstrating by blocking the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway from 8:45 am that day. Vehicular movement on the highway stopped after that.

Due to the 48 hours of hiatus in vehicular movement on the highway, commuters and drivers have fallen into great trouble. Many are trying to reach their destinations either in trains or via different regional highways.

Some workers were seen sitting on the road while some were seen chanting slogans this morning. Majority of them had sticks held in their hands. Whenever a vehicle tried to cross them, they were trying to stop them.

Many of the workers who blocked the road at night were returning while another group of workers were taking their place on the road. Some were announcing on the microphone for them to be united.

In this condition a severe congestion has been created on either end of the highway. Many commuters were trying to move to their destinations on foot. Members of local police station and industrial police were also present at the spot.

A worker named Habibur Rahman who joined the blockade said, “I could not pay my house rent for the last two months. And, I am buying groceries from a neighbouring shop with the promise of paying later but I’m unable to pay him as well. Every day when I move past the shop, he’s asking for the dues. Meanwhile, we are not receiving our wages. So, we were forced to take to the streets.”

Another worker named Shahidul Islam said they will not leave the road until they get their wages. They will return home only after their wages are paid. There’s no other way of extracting their wages but to block the road, he added.

In this regard, police super in Gazipur industrial zone Mohammad Sarwar Alam said, “The owners were given several deadlines but they repeatedly failed to pay the wages. That’s why the workers do not believe our words anymore. So, how can we ask them to withdraw their movement saying that we will make some arrangements for them?”

“We have made several attempts to reason with them. But they are adamant that they won’t leave the highway. I believe the workers think that blocking the highway creates pressure on the owners and they are then forced to arrange the money. They are just sitting on the road out of such belief,” he added.

Acting chairman of TNZ Group, Hedaytul Haque told Prothom Alo, “It has been two months since I took over the factory. The bank is not providing the money of the FDR I have for an emergency at the factory. The bank says that my FDR has been linked with loans. Now I’m unable to withdraw that money at this crisis moment of the factory.”

“I have applied for loans at the bank to source the money required to pay the wages of the workers. But they are not approving that loan either. I had a meeting with BGMEA, the association of garments industry owners, yesterday. I provided the deed of my house there and asked them to arrange a loan of Tk 60 million (6 crore) for me. But, the BGMEA could not provide any solutions,” he added.