Workers at a factory in Konabari, Gazipur city, are staging a sit-in on Thursday, demanding their overdue October salaries and have allegedly locked staff inside the factory, escalating tensions around the premises.
On Thursday around 7:30pm, garment workers of Honeywell Garments Ltd, a concern of AJ Group in the Ambag area of Konabari, began a work stoppage demanding their one-month overdue salaries. During the protest, the agitated workers locked several staff members inside the factory and padlocked the main gate.
According to workers and Industrial Police sources, the workers initiated the stoppage after the October salaries were not paid. Although the salaries were supposed to be disbursed on Monday, management postponed payment to Thursday. When the salaries were not paid on this day either, the workers became enraged, stopped working, locked several staff members inside, and secured the main gate with a padlock. The workers insist that the overdue October salaries must be paid within the night.
Masum Babu, a worker from the cutting section, said: “Instead of paying our salaries today, the authorities verbally announced a three-day shutdown of the factory. Hearing this, the workers became furious.”
Anwar Hossain, managing director of Honeywell Garments Ltd, said: “Although salaries were scheduled to be paid today, due to certain reasons it was not possible. We have explained to the workers that their overdue October salaries will be paid next Sunday. But the workers are refusing to accept this.” He added: “Under no circumstances can salaries be paid tonight.”
Inspector Morshed Zaman of Gazipur Industrial Police-2 (Konabari Zone) said: “Discussions are ongoing with both the owners and workers to resolve the issue. Police have been deployed in front of the factory to prevent any untoward incident.”
