Workers of a readymade garment factory demonstrated on the Sagorika Road, the main thoroughfare in the Pahartali industrial area in the city protesting retrenchment of 115 workers. Several hundred workers of Gaus Fashion took to the busy road in front of the BITAC office at around 9.30 a.m and chanted slogans against sacking of some 115 workers by the management. Vehicular traffic remained suspended for over two hours but it resumed at around 12.00 p.m as the police from the Pahartali police station intercepted and made the road free for traffic. During the demonstration, the workers alleged that some senior executives of the management manhandled the workers. They alleged that 10 to 12 workers including Md Mujib, secretary of the workers union of the industry, were beaten up. But the police could not confirm the workers’ allegation. Additional deputy commissioner (west) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police Arefin Jewel said the Gaus Fashion has nearly 1500 workers but recently the factory management has retrenched 115 workers. At the initiative of the police officials, the representatives of the workers held a meeting with the management at 12.00 p.m and the workers resumed the duty, he said.
