60 RMG factories shut as workers continue protest 

At least 60 readymade garment factories have been declared shut due to continued protest of workers at Ashulia of Savar in Dhaka. 

According to industrial police and locals, the factories along the road stretching from Baipail and Zirabo commenced regular activities on Wednesday morning, with workers joining at the scheduled time.

At around 8:30 am, a group of workers from nearby factories that were closed earlier appeared before the open factories and staged demonstrations. 

When they, along with some job seekers, started hurling brick chips at the factories, the authorities had no choice but to announce the day as a holiday and shutter the factories. The aggrieved workers later took to the streets and continued their protest. 

However, the army and policemen managed to convince them to move away from the street. 

One who runs a road-side tea stall near the Ha-Meem Group factory in Narasinghapur told Prothom Alo that the factory was declared shut when some job seekers came to the premises and started a demonstration.

Ismail Hossain, managing director of Sharmin Group, said when regular activities began at his factory in the morning, some people vandalised two staff buses on the outer premises. As such incidents usually lead to attacks inside the factory, the authorities announced a holiday considering the security issues. 

Around 10:00am, the workers began an agitation in front of the Pearl Garments Limited factory in the Palashbari area, demanding tiffin allowance, Tk 800 as attendance bonus, annual salary increment, maternity leave, and some other benefits. 

They, at one stage, blocked the Nabinagar-Chandra highway, which led to a huge traffic gridlock on both sides. The army and policemen went to the spot around 2:00 pm and requested them to leave the road.

Later, Ahammad Muyeed, superintendent of police in Dhaka district, held a discussion with the worker leaders. 

Meanwhile, some other workers took positions before their factories to combat any attacks. On the condition of anonymity, a worker of Gildan Bangladesh factory in the Palashbari area told Prothom Alo, “We want to work. Since the factory is our asset, it is our duty to ensure its protection.” 

Sarwar Alam, superintendent of industrial police-1, said the situation is now normal in the area. The workers came to factories at the scheduled time and later waged demonstrations. When they tried to create an issue over the uninterrupted operation of the Ha-Meem Group factory, the factory authorities announced a holiday, and at least 60 other factories followed suit.