Garment workers demonstrating on Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway at Azampur, Uttara, in the capital on Sunday, halting traffic movement for hours — Collected Several hundred workers from more than a dozen ready-made garment (RMG) factories took to the street at Azampur under Uttara in the capital on Sunday in support of their various demands, disrupting traffic movement on Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway for hours together.
Sources said workers of factories belonging to two garment groups started demonstration at around 8.35 am, demanding enhancement of their wages. Later, workers of some 20 more units also joined them.
A couple of hours later, RMG workers of Uttara and Abdullahpur areas also took to the street at Airport intersection, halting vehicular movement and creating heavy traffic congestion on both sides of the highway.
The demonstration caused sufferings to people travelling to and from the capital, including the airport-bound passengers who got trapped inside their vehicles on Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway, they added.
The workers stopped their five-hour demonstration and withdrew the blockade at around 2.00 pm after getting assurance from their respective factory management of solving their wage issues, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police sources.
Workers alleged that their basic pay, especially that of the workers in grades three and four, was not enhanced in line with the latest wage board award for RMG workers.
The government increased the monthly minimum wage of the entry-level workers to Tk 8,000, effective from December last, from Tk 5,300 in 2013.
Labour leaders also alleged that the basic pay of garment workers has been reduced in the new wage structure. Basic payment constitutes 51.25 per cent of the gross salary now, which was 67.69 per cent in 2006.
Workers would be deprived due to this downward revision, as payment of their different allowances, overtime, festival bonus and other service-related benefits depend on basic pay, they observed.
The latest incident of agitation came two days after Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) instructed its member factories on January 03 to strictly follow the new wage structure and ensure its full and timely implementation.
The government and the BGMEA last month gave assurance that they would look into the wage issues and remove inconsistencies, if there is any, after the national election.
© 2024 - All Rights with The Financial Express
