Workers block road to protest mass lay-off

Angry workers have blockaded a road in Agrabad of Chittagong after authorities shut down a RMG unit.

Workers of Ambia Garments, owned and operated by Ambia Group, demonstrated on Suday afternoon at Badamtola of Agrabad, clogging traffic on both sides of the road, Industrial Police said.

Industrial Police Inspector (Detective) Arifur Rahman said the authorities laid 243 workers off.

The workers only knew about the lay-off on Sunday morning when they came to the factory and started protesting.

They had started protesting in front of the factory, but later, from 1pm to 1:30pm, they staged a sit-in on the nearby road.

Having been informed about the protest, the police cleared the road.

Inspector Rahman said around 600 workers had been working at woven and knitting section of the factory.

Earlier, the authorities had closed knitting section and on Sunday morning they temporarily suspended 243 workers at the woven section. Operations of the factory have temporarily been stopped.

Inspector Rahman said, “Due to lack of orders and raw-materials, reasons disclosed by owners, authorities laid workers off as per terms laid down by Labour Law.

“However, the lay-off will be called off if there are new orders.”

‘Swapan’ and other workers alleged the Ambia Garments authorities fired them without prior notice.

They also claimed the factory owed them one month’s salary.