Garment workers block highway in Gazipur demanding higher Eid bonus

Workers of a sweater factory have blocked the highway in Telipara area of Gazipur city demanding an increase in their Eid bonus. Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway has been suspended from this. The workers of that factory started the movement around 9:15 am in the morning today, Friday.

There’s a factory of Smug Sweater Limited in Telipara area. Around 250-300 workers are employed in the factory. According to the workers of the factory and police sources, the factory authorities have given them an Eid bonus that equals 25 per cent of their salary.

However the workers have been demanding 50 per cent of their salary in bonus. The workers started demonstrating since morning with a 14-point demand including an increase in Eid bonus alongside overtime bill, maternity bill, tiffin bill, and annual leave.

The workers stopped working and started protesting inside the factory this morning. Later, they gathered on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Telipara area around 9:00 am. This suspended vehicular movement on both sides of the highway.

Commuters are suffering immensely due to the demonstration. Gazipur industrial police and regular police personnel arrived at the scene and are trying to solve the issue by reasoning with the workers.  

Officer-in-charge of Bason Police Station in Gazipur city, Kaosar Ahmed said that the workers have been given their salaries on time. They have received their bonus at the rate fixed by the government as well. Even after that the workers have been demonstrating since morning with the demand of increased bonus.