RMG workers' demo triggers tailback on Dhaka-M'singh highway

Workers of a garment factory named TNZ Apparels staged a demonstration over unpaid wages creating a long tailback on both sides of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Gazipur on Saturday.
The demonstration that started at around 8.30 am in Maleker Bari area halted vehicular movement on both sides of the highway causing immense suffering to the commuters and the situation continued until filing the report at around 7.30 pm.
When asked, Md Sarwar Alam, superintendent of Industrial Police, said they were still on the spot and were trying to convince the workers to go back home through repeated attempts of discussions.
"But they (workers) paid no heed as they did not get wages for two months," he said, adding the chairman of TNZ Apparels is now abroad and a new chairman has been appointed to resolve the issue.
Mr Alam said the factory has been facing difficulties for the last one year in running business due to shortage of work orders while it could not make timely shipments over many issues.
Wage payment of the factory is also irregular while the factory reportedly did not get support from bank, he noted.
Meanwhile, workers of three other factories namely Basic Clothing Ltd, Apparel Plus Eco Ltd and Basic Knit Wear Ltd also demonstrated over various demands in Bypass-Gazipur area, according to sources.
According to Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), a total of 17 factories -13 in Gazipur and Mymensingh, three in Savar, Ashulia and one in Mirpur-14-remained closed on Saturday over labour protest.
Out of 2,089 active BGMEA member factories, some 670 units or 32.07 per cent paid October wages until Saturday while the rest or 1,419 factories are yet to pay October wages.
Out of the 2,089 factories, some eight and two are yet to pay monthly wages for September and August last respectively, according to the trade body.

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