Another factory shut in Savar

A ready-made garment unit of Savar shut down indefinitely on Saturday as fear of unrest loomed after the sacking of 165 workers.

The management of Cosmopolitan Industries Limited singled them out for termination of service, as they were thought to be the main organizers of an agitation for wage hike by about 6,500 workers, Industrial Police Sub Inspector Omar Faroque told bdnews24.com. The agitation had been on for the past few days.

“A closure notice for an indefinite period was hung up at the factory gate,” Faroque said.

Company’s shut-down notice enraged the workers, who learnt of the management’s decision only after arriving for work. Sensing trouble, the police moved them away.

Workers chased by ‘goons’

Meanwhile, workers said they were chased by about 20 stick-wielding youths when they gathered near the factory building, demanding its reopening.

The closed factory, located in Savar municipality’s south Dariapur Mahalla, has others factories within the same compound. They are JK Fabrics Limited, JK Knit Composite and Tanima Knit Composite, all belonging to the JK Group.

The workers alleged they were chased by goons, allegedly under the protection of a local Juba League leader.

Meanwhile, Savar Model Police Station Officer in-Charge Mostafa Kamal told bdnews24.com that the police went to the spot on learning of the trouble but found no trace of the goons.

JK Group General Manager Mojibor Rahman denied there was trouble. “Some workers had gathered at the factory gates but went away later.”

Juba League Dhaka Organising Secretary Faruk Hassan said he was unaware of the incident as he was not in Savar.

Savar Juba League General Secretary Mizanur Rahman Mizan was unavailable on the phone when contacted for his comments on the matter.

Earlier, the other three factories were shut down indefinitely on Thursday after 84 workers were fired on charges of fomenting unrest.