Disgruntled garment workers block road in Mirpur for back pay

Workers from garment maker Zaara Jeans have blocked a road in Mirpur to demand payment of outstanding wages and allowances.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 15 Sept 2019, 08:22 AM
Updated : 15 Sept 2019, 08:22 AM

Traffic on the Zoo Road, Mirpur 10 to Mazar Road and in front of Mirpur Bangla College ground to a halt due to the blockade, said Shah Ali Police Station chief Md Salahuddin Mia.

The factory is situated on the fourth and fifth floors of a building at 13 and 14 Zoo Road. The disgruntled workers put up a barricade in front of the factory as well as the Sony Cinema Hall.

“We are owed four months of back pay and two months’ overtime payments. The owners locked up the factory and fled on Thursday. Their phones are switched off too,” said 'Salma', a swing operator.

They also had to stage protests over the payment of salaries before Eid, according to another worker 'Ayesha'.

“We resumed our movement over the last seven days. We went to BGMEA on Wednesday and they said the issue would be resolved on Saturday. We went again on Saturday but no-one spoke to us. We were compelled to take to the streets today.”

None of the owners are there in the factory, said its security guard Mohammed Feroz.

“They locked the factory on Sept 10 and were supposed to open it on Saturday. But that didn't happen. We’re here only to look after the factory from the outside. I can’t say anything more than that”

Police requested the workers to leave the street but they did not pay heed to it, said OC Md Salauddin Mia. “They are asking for the owners to come and open the factory and pay their dues.”

Factory owner Reazul Haque Raju is having a meeting in the BGMEA, after police contacted him, said the OC.

“We told the disgruntled workers to go to BGMEA but they refused, saying it didn’t work the last time. They won’t leave the street until the owners come to the factory.”