60 RMG factories closed in Ashulia, around 3,500 accused in 12 cases

Some 60 readymade garment factories remained closed at Ashulia of Savar in Dhaka on Sunday, due to the ongoing workers' movement for a wage hike.

The number of closed factories was 130 on the previous day.

Meanwhile, around 12 cases have been filed with the Ashulia Police Station in the last several days regarding the workers' protest and subsequent incidents of vandalism.

Some 16 people and nearly 3,500 others, who remain anonymous, have been accused in the cases. The police have arrested five individuals so far in connection with the lawsuits.

At around 10 factories in Ashulia, some workers were found sitting idle after completing their attendance punch, while others left for home. Besides, several factories announced a general holiday as workers did not join work, according to Sarwar Alam, superintendent of industrial police-1 (SP).

Shahidul Islam, additional SP of Savar circle, said the affected factory owners have filed 12 cases accusing around 3,500 people, including 16 named individuals.

During an on-site visit in the Jamgara, Narsinghpur, and Nischintapur areas, it was seen that some factories attached closure notices to their entrances, citing the Labour Act-2006.

Members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), police, and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were patrolling on different streets of the locality, while water cannons were kept standby.

Some workers were seen in front of the MM Design Limited factory at Jamgara taking pictures of the closure notice. They were sharing the pictures with their colleagues.

Meanwhile, the workers have returned to the streets in the capital's Mirpur area on Sunday morning, to press home their demand for a wage hike.

Hundreds of workers blocked main roads at Pallabi, Mirpur-10, and 13 at 8:00 am and staged demonstrations there.

They expressed displeasure at the recently announced minimum wage as it did not meet their demand. Adding more to the woes, they encountered a disproportionate wage increment after joining work on Saturday.

The workers alleged that the owners did not implement the 56 per cent wage hike. Only experienced workers received increments ranging from 20 to 30 per cent, prompting them to take to the streets again.