Barisal, Aug 6 (bdnews24.com) – Thousands of workers of two Opsonin Pharma Limited factories have demonstrated demanding better wages and other perquisites.
Nearly 3,000 workers of Opso Saline on Bogra Road and Global Capsule at Raupatali took control of the factories after initiating protests around 9am in support of a 15-point charter of demands on Saturday morning.
The workers of Global Capsule confined production manager Probir Das and two other officials after beating them up.
Opso Saline administrator Sadekul Islam Dipu was also physically harassed as was given a chase along with another official by the protestors.
The protesters said their demonstration would continue until their demands were met through discussion with nobody but the factory authorities.
Continuing their protest, the factories were still under their command at 2.45pm when they denied talking to assistant commissioner of Barisal Police Aslam Khan and Ward No. 17 councillor Akhteruzzaman Heru.
Additional police have been deployed in front of the two factories, witnesses said.
Opso Saline worker Ayaz Khan told bdnews24.com that they have been asking the owners of Opsonin Group of Industries Limited to reduce discrimination among the workers over wages, bonus, yearly leave, overtime, medical expenses and pension.
The workers submitted an application to the company chairman on Aug 2 telling their demand, but the demands were not met by the administration until Saturday.
They did not even get their last month's salary, Ayaz said. Two workers, Habib Malik and Yusuf Bepari, were beaten on Saturday by the factory officials when they demanded their wages. The protestors have also beaten two owner supporter workers following their beating, he added.
Meanwhile, Global Capsule worker told bdnews24.com they started demonstrating after hearing the news at Opso Saline.
Ward councillor Heru said that he had talked to the Opsonin group chairman Sabur Khan. "He expressed anger on hearing about the protest and vandalism. He said he won't join any discussion if the workers don't rejoin the work."
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