Workers of 2 factories protest demanding 14 months' arrear wages

Workers of two garment factories in Gazipur—Stylecraft Limited and Young Ones BD—staged protests demanding the payment of their arrear wages. They claimed that their wages for the last 14 months are in arrears. The workers carried out this protest programme in front of the Gazipur Metropolitan Police office from 8 am today, Sunday. Wahiduzzaman, ASP of Gazipur Industrial Police, said that workers of the two factories demonstrated demanding arrear wages.

Speaking from the spot, Mahfuz Mia, finance secretary of the Gazipur district branch of Bangladesh Garment and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, said that 1,800 workers work in the two factories. The workers have 14 months of arrears. Before the last Eid, some workers were paid Tk 20,000 each. At that time, it was said that the arrears would be paid by May 7. The workers waited for 3 days and went in front of the factory this morning. He alleged that people of the factory management attacked the workers at that time.

He further said that for a long time, the owner has been exercising power in various ways without paying the dues and has filed false cases against the workers. Kazi Ruhul Amin, general secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, demanded the prompt payment of arrear dues of all workers and employees, including Stylecraft, in the interest of keeping workers alive and maintaining a sound environment in the industry. No one from the management of Stylecraft Limited and Young Ones BD was found at the factories.

Even when contacted by phone, nobody answered. Source: The Daily Star