Workers' Unrest in N'ganj

Production suspended at 100 RMG factories

12 July 2010, 18:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Narayanganj

Garment unrest in Fatulla industrial area escalated after a garment factory was declared laid-off yesterday morning. Production in more than 100 factories was suspended during the agitation and all the factory authorities closed their units for the day at noon. Workers of Rony Composite Dying and Garments factory, an export-oriented composite garment factory, ransacked it and also vandalised a number of other factories in the area to bring the workers out of the factories. They barricaded Fatulla Post Office-Hajiganj road for over one hour from 8:00am. Traffic movement on Dhaka-Narayanganj Link road remained suspended from 10:00am to 11:30am. Police later brought the situation under control after the law enforcers assured them of solving the problem through talks with the factory owners. Officer-in-charge Jibon Kanti Sarker of Fatulla Police Station said about 450 workers of Rony garment factory have been continuing movement for last few days to press home their demands. The workers beat the factory officials and the authorities declared laid off the factory for indefinite period from Sunday night. The workers became agitated when they saw the lay-off notice at the factory gate during their joining the work at 8:00am yesterday. Workers of Rony garment factory at Kutubail Rail Line of Bottola in Sadar upazila said the authorities without consulting with the workers laid off the factory for indefinite period. They also did not pay the workers' arrear as per the labour act, they added. The owner of the factory was not available for comments.