Several hundred workers of two ready-made garment factories staged demonstrations in Gazipur on Sunday demanding payment of their wage arrears for two months. They also vandalized the windowpanes of the garment factories and blocked MC Bazar-Shishu Palli regional road in Sreepur of Gazipur, holding up traffic for an hour. Police and workers said the authorities of Union Garments and Union Knitwear factory located in Mulaid area under Sreepur upazila have yet to pay wages to them for the months of June and July, although the factory authorities assured them of paying wages several times earlier. On Sunday morning, all workers of the two factories staged demonstrations in front of the factories. At one stage, agitated workers attacked the factories and vandalized its windowpanes. They also blocked MC Bazar-Shishu Palli road from 10 am to 11 am. Later, police went to the spot and fired teargas shells to bring the situation under control, leaving several workers and five students of a madrasha injured. Principal of Wajed Ali Islamia Qawmi Madrasha Mufti Monirul Islam Gazipuree said five students including Sidratul, Habibur, Elias, Jayedul and Azizul were injured in teargas shell firing by police. When contacted, assistant manager (admin) of the garment factory Bazlul Rashid said they could not pay salary and other allowances to their workers due to financial crisis. “We will pay wage arrears on August 16 next.” However, the factory authority closed the factory for the day over workers’ unrest. Assistant sub-inspector of Gazipur industrial police Selim Reza said getting information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control after firing teargas shells. Workers left the spot after the factory authority assured them of paying salary within a short time, he added.
