Police has dispersed RMG workers—who had blocked roads demanding arrears pay and their allowance—in Dhaka’s Sat Rastar Mor area in Tejgaon. Agitated workers took to the roads around 8:30am and continued their protest for an hour before police intervened and cleared the roads without further confrontation. Confirming the matter to the Dhaka Tribune, Tejgaon Industrial police station Officer-in-Charge Adbur Rashid said: “The agitated workers have been cleared out to avoid further traffic congestion. We talked with the workers and they have cooperated. “We tried to contact the factory’s authority regarding the proceedings but were unable to. The workers said they are headed to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) office with their demands.” “The situation is under control here,” he added. Earlier, over 50,000 garment workers—in the Dhaka, Ashulia, Narayanganj, Savar, and Gazipur districts—went on strike in December and again in January, protesting wage changes that went into effect December 1, 2018. An RMG worker was killed and several others were injured during the protests. In response to the protests, the government formed a tripartite committee to review garment workers’ wages, and on January 13 announced modest increases for lower and mid-range worker grades, although the minimum wage of Tk8,000 (US$96) per month remained unchanged.
