Factory workers protest on Dhaka-Tangail highway over new govt pay scale

The minimum salary has been increased to Tk 12,500 but authorities have denied workers at the new pay scale, a factory worker says

Factory workers have blocked a highway in Gazipur’s Kaliakair Upazila demanding implementation of the new pay scale announced by the government.

The workers of Cocola Food Products Ltd launched the protest on the Dhaka-Tangail highway in the Upazila’s Mouchak area around 7:30am and blocked the route for nearly two hours on Monday.

Traffic tailbacks stretched nearly several kilometres on the route due to the protest. Law enforcers used tear gas to disperse the protesters. Several workers were injured in the incident.

“Police chased and baton-charged the protesters as they refused to leave the scene. The traffic returned to normal after the protesters were removed,” Mouchak Police Outpost Sub-Inspector Saiful Alam said.

Additional policemen have been deployed in the area to avoid further unrest, he added.

The protesters said they launched the protest outside the factory at 7:30am demanding the implementation of the newly-announced government pay scale when a group of workers from inside the facility hurled brickbats at them, which kicked off a clash. Around 25 protesting workers were taken to hospital afterwards with injuries.

Police went to the scene to try and control the situation but got involved in another clash with the protesters. They fired a few rounds of stun grenades and tear shells and dispersed the workers.

The government raised the minimum salary to Tk 12,500, but factory authorities have denied us the new pay scale and the minimum salary for factory workers is still Tk 6,700, said Arafat Hossain, a worker.

The factory’s manager Anisur Rahman said the authorities held a discussion over the issue on Thursday and increased the monthly wage to Tk 8,000 from Tk 6,700.

“The factory was closed on Saturday. The workers resumed their work after the issue was resolved, but the protest occurred due to instigation from outsiders,” he said.