Workers block highway and protest against worker layoffs in Sreepur, Gazipur

Workers blocked the highway and staged a protest in Sreepur, Gazipur, demanding the cancellation of worker layoffs. Workers of Knit Horizon factory started this agitation around 10:30 am today, Wednesday, in the No. 1 C&B area of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in the upazila. Later, they moved away from the road and took positions on the side at 1:15 pm. Going to the spot at 11:00 am, workers were seen protesting while taking positions on both lanes of the highway. Members of industrial police and Sreepur police station were present there.

Members of the army arrived at the scene at 11:15 am. They spoke with the workers. Receiving assurance that discussions would be held with the management regarding their demands shortly, the workers left the road and took positions in an open space nearby. A worker named Aklima Khatun said that the authorities had laid off 40 workers of the factory without any reason last Monday. They went to the factory yesterday, Tuesday, and applied to bring back the laid-off workers.

The factory management had assured them that they would consider it, but they did not keep their word. Another worker, Shakil Ahmed, said that today upon going to the factory, they saw a notice of factory closure hung on the gate. The factory management made such a decision because they demanded the reinstatement of 40 workers. He demanded that they be reinstated immediately and the factory be reopened. Mawna Highway Police Station officer-in-charge Ayub Ali said that the workers were blocking the road and protesting. Later, army personnel came and held discussions. Following that, the workers moved away from the road.

Source: Prothom Alo