Tuba workers encircle BGMEA

Workers of Tuba Group have taken position in front of the BGMEA on Tuesday demanding payment of their due wages and allowances.

Police stopped the workers' procession around 11.30am when it reached at the capital's Karwan Bazaar area, where a scuffle broke out prompting law enforcers to charge batons.

The protesting workers then took position in front of the BGMEA office and held a rally there.

BGMEA is the apex body of the garment business owners.

Agitated Tuba workers were joined by representatives of 15 labour organisations on Tuesday.

"We will have to opt for programmes like shutdown and strikes if the workers are not paid," Convener of Garments Sramik Shanghati, Taslima Akhter told the rally.

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.

On Sunday, the demonstrating workers rejected a call to withdraw their hunger strike soon after BGMEA said at a press briefing that the workers would get two months’ wages on Wednesday.

Security has been beefed up in Karwan Bazar area since Tuesday morning in the wake of Tuba workers' pre-announced programme to siege the BGMEA office.

"These precautions are meant to avoid any untoward incidents," Ramna Zone Police Assistant Commissioner Emanul Haque told bdnews24.com.

A scuffle broke out and police charged batons when the protestors were stopped from entering the BGMEA premises. The agitators then held a rally on the streets of Karwan Bazar.

Agitating Tuba workers' five demands are: immediate payment of unpaid wages, overtime, and Eid bonuses, factories should be kept 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.

Tuba Group workers allege that the owners were stalling payment of their wages and allowances to press for Delwar’s release.

The Tuba Group owner is currently in jail in a case filed over the deaths of 112 workers of readymade garment factory Tazreen Fashions, which was gutted in a blaze in 2012. The Group owned Tazreen Fashions.

However, the High Court granted Delwar Hossain bail on Thursday, but he is yet to be released.