Worker beaten up for being late from prayers
Employees of an ayurvedic medicine manufacturing company in Rajshahi staged angry protests yesterday, demanding salary increase and weekly holiday on Friday.
The protests erupted around 4:00pm as Bappi Ahmed, an employee of SB Laboratories Ltd, was beaten up for his delay, the agitators claim, in turning up to the office following Friday prayers.
Some 100 male and female employees encircled the residence of the factory owner, threw masonry towards the house, and shouted slogans during the demonstration, demanding Friday, instead of Sunday, as the weekly holiday.
Shibroto Roy, owner of the factory, said he had talks with the employees and decided to shift the weekly holiday to Friday from Sunday.
The assault victim, Bappi, said, “The owner treats the employees not well. He does not even want to give time to say prayers”.
The agitators said they are under-paid and the women workers face different forms of harassment. Employees, who have passed SSC and HSC examinations, are paid the same amount of salary of Tk 1,800 while employees are physically assaulted for petty errors, they said.
Shibroto denied allegations of torturing his employees. He also said educated employees cannot be given higher salary as they are new to their job.
Employees used to get two-hour break for prayers on Fridays, but we cut short the break to one hour, as there is no hassle of having lunch in Ramadan, he said.
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