RMG workers block Ctg road for festival bonuses equivalent to basic salary

Over 3,000 workers of two RMG factories blocked the road in Chittagong city's Sher Shah for around two-and-a-half hours yesterday afternoon demanding Eid bonuses equivalent to their full basic salaries.

The bonuses of the recent Eid-ul-Azha of Chittagong Asian Apparel and Fortune Apparel were pending.

Although the government recently formulated a rule to pay festival bonuses equivalent to such workers' full basic salaries, the authorities denied doing so, said Md Anwar, a worker of Asian Apparel.

"Rather they offered us one-third of their basic salaries as bonuses and so we did not receive the bonuses before Eid."

Jahir Uddin, director of Asian Group, said assured the workers of meeting their demand from today. He termed the whole situation a "misunderstanding".

Our Savar correspondent reports, the workers of Usha Fashion formed a human chain on the Dhaka-Tangail highway in Baipail bus stand area of Ashulia protesting, what they said, illegal termination of at least 40 workers after the Eid vacation.

Despite repeated attempts, the authorities could not be contacted over the phone.