The Dacca Dyeing Garments Ltd, which terminated more than 150 workers on Tuesday, has been closed for indefinite period amid workers’ demonstration. A notification on closure, signed by a director of the factory, a concern of Palmal Group, was posted on the gates of the factories on Thursday night, stating that the factories were closed with effect from November 7 under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act. The section empowered an employer, in the event of an illegal strike by any section or department of any establishment, to close down either wholly or partly such section or department and the workers participated in the illegal strike might not be paid any wages for such closure. Mahatab Uddin, one of the directors of the company, told New Age on Friday that by the provocation of some unruly workers, all the workers of the factory started strike in the factory for meeting a number of illegal demands. Despite repeated requests, the workers did not allow to resume production and considering the situation, the authorities decided to close the factory until further announcement, he said. The authorities of Dacca Dyeing on Tuesday terminated 152 workers as they took a move to form trade union in the factory, workers alleged. On Wednesday, the factory authorities terminated nine more workers. The factory authorities denied the allegation and said that they have terminated some extra work force as the factory’s export orders declined. The workers of the factory on Thursday staged demonstration in the unit demanding reinstatement of terminated workers and rights for forming trade union. The agitating workers placed a set of demands to the authorities and continued demonstration up to Thursday night. Workers said that the authorities on Thursday announced closure of the factory for Friday only but at night they posted notice of closure for an indefinite period. Syed Ahmed, inspector general of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, said that the problem of the factory was not under the jurisdiction of the department. ‘A situation has been created cantering the trade union issue, not wages and safety related issues. And so the directorate of labour was not the authority to look into the matter,’ he said.
