Terminated workers of two sweater factories on Saturday announced a move to occupy Shrama Bhaban, the office of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), for an indefinite period from Monday to realize their dues and other lawful benefits.
They also announced to besiege the residence of the factory owner and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) office, and bring out a hunger procession towards the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to press home their demand.
They alleged that the factories under Dragon Group terminated around 1,500 workers from its two units amid the corona virus pandemic, but without paying the lawful termination benefits.
Dragon Group Shramik Karmachari Sangram Committee announced the programme at a press conference in the city.
Abdul Kuddus, coordinator of the Sangram Committee, said that most of the workers, who were terminated, had been working for more than 15 years and the factory authorities declined to pay the workers' provident fund, earned leave and other benefits.
The workers had deposited 8.0 per cent of their monthly basic pay to the provident fund and, as per the law, the employer is subject to contribute equivalent amount of money to the fund, he added.
But the Dragon Group authorities have declined to pay the money to the provident fund, he alleged.
The authorities announced the factories shut since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, making the pandemic as the pretext, and paid 60 per cent of the wages for the months of April, May and June from the government's stimulus package, Mr. Kuddus said.
After firing the permanent workers without paying any lawful benefits, the authorities are now running production in the same building by temporary workers and in another name of the factory, he alleged.
Workers had been continuing their movement to realize their lawful demands for the last couple of months and also requesting the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) to resolve the issue, he said, adding that but the department has so far failed to solve the problem.
The crisis management committee under the labour ministry also failed to compel the business group to comply with the laws, he noted.
Garment Workers Trade Union Centre general secretary Joly Talukder and former general secretary Sadekur Rahman Shamim, among others, attended the press conference.
The DIFE inspector general, BGMEA and the Dragon Group Chairman could not be reached despite repeated attempts for their comments in this regard until filing the report at 7.0 pm on Saturday.
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