Garment Workers' Protest in Ashulia: 20 factories announced closed
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Worker unrest has erupted in Ashulia, Savar, over demands including a minimum wage of Tk 30,000, an end to the blacklisting of workers, and halting 'unnecessary retrenchment.'
To bring the situation under control and avoid unpleasant incidents, authorities have announced a general holiday at at least 20 apparel factories in Ashulia on Saturday.
A tensed situation was prevailing across Ashulia industrial district Saturday afternoon as this correspondent was visiting Nischintapur, Kathgara, Zirabo, and Narsinghpur areas of Ashulia.
According to local and police sources, in the morning, workers of "New Age Apparels" and "New Age Garments" in the Nischintapur area began a work stoppage with various demands, including a minimum wage of Tk 30,000. The unrest subsequently spread to other nearby factories. At one stage, workers of Al-Muslim, Continental, AR Jeans in Kathgara, Naeem Sweater, FNF Garments in Narsinghpur, and Trouser Line garment factory in the Zirabo area came out of their factories and joined the protest.
In the afternoon, when workers from various factories began gathering together in the Nischintapur area, police attempted to disperse them. At that time, chase and counter-chase began between police and workers. When police fired tear gas shells to bring the situation under control, angry workers threw brick pelts and stone chips at the police. At least five members of the industrial police and several garment workers were injured.
A worker of New Age Apparels, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed his anger, saying, "The prices of everything in the market have increased several times, but our wages have not increased. It has become impossible to run a family with this small amount of money. How will we survive if wages are not increased?"
Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garment and Sweater Workers Trade Union Centre, said the government had promised to form a wage board with the goal of announcing a new wage structure by October. But as it had not been formed even after October 30 passed, a strong sense of anger and discontent had arisen among the workers.
Superintendent of Police Mominul Islam Bhuiyan of Ashulia Industrial Police-1 said that when workers became agitated, police tried to normalize the situation. At that time, five police members were injured in attacks by agitated workers. However, in the afternoon, to avoid unpleasant incidents and in the interest of factory security, a general holiday was announced at at least 20 garment factories.
Harun Or Rashid, inspector (investigation) of Ashulia Police Station, said that although worker unrest and work stoppages occurred in various areas since morning, the situation was brought fully under control after noon through joint efforts. Additional police have been deployed in the area.
