Workers of a readymade garment factory located at the Ashulia industrial area on Tuesday staged demonstration in front of the headquarters of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association in Dhaka demanding reinstatement of jobs of 73 workers. During the demonstration the workers said that the authorities of Fashion Craft Knit Wear Ltd illegally terminated the workers from November 22 to till date without paying dues as the workers put forward a five-point demand including introducing maternity leave, payment for earned leave and payment of wages in time as per the labour law. Rozina Akter, one of the terminated workers of the factory, alleged that the company did not pay wages to the workers for the period of maternity leave. If any worker would protest against the injustice of the authorities he or she received threats from local goons. The workers also alleged that the factory authorities neither granted earned leave nor they gave payment for the leave. Kazi Ruhul Amin, general secretary of Bangladesh Garment Sramik Trade Union Centre, told New Age that the factory authorities illegally terminated 73 workers violating the labour law. The BGMEA leaders assured that they would sit with the factory owners and workers on December 12 to resolve the issue.
