Leftists threaten of strikes and blockade for Tuba workers' dues

The Ganotantrik Bam Morcha (GBM) , an alliance of left leaning parties, has said that it will go for strikes and blockades if Tuba Group workers are not paid by Wednesday.

The announcement came on Monday from a rally organised by it in front of the Secretariat in Dhaka.

The alliance expressed its solidarity with the protesting workers and their plan to encircle the BGMEA's office on Tuesday.

The BGMEA is the representative body of the garment factrory owners.

GBM Coordinator Suvrangshu Chakravarty told Monday's rally that they will call for a countrywide strike and blockade if the garment factory workers' dues are not cleared by Wednesday.

The left party alliance organised a human chain in front of the National Press Club, before the police stopped their procession which intended to siege the labour ministry.

Around 1,600 workers of Tuba’s five factories have been on a hunger strike inside one of its units on Hossain Market at Dhaka's Badda since July 28, demanding payment of the wages, overtime dues and allowances for the months of May, June and July.

Their five demands are: immediate payment of unpaid wages, clearance of overtime dues and Eid bonuses,to keep the factories open so that the 1,500 workers can retain their livelihood, compensation for workers who have fallen ill, the scraping of Tuba Group Managing Director Delwar Hossain’s bail and the award of the death penalty, and compensation for the victims of Tazreen Fashions fire.