Closure of factory: Garment workers stage agitation
The New Nation, Bangladesh
Several thousand protestors staged street demonstrations for hours at Purba Sheorapara in the city against the mass sacking of over two dozen garment workers and closure of SQ Sweater factory.
The street agitation halted traffic on the busy route from Mirpur section 10 to Agargaon crossing from 12:30pm as BGMEA leaders and police officers failed to pacify the workers.
The agitating workers alleged that they had given an ultimatum asking the owner of SQ Sweater Ltd. to meet their 9-point demand by June 29. “Instead of meeting the demands, the workers today found 28 of their colleagues sacked and the factory closed for 15 days,” said a leader of the protestors.
The action enraged the workers who took to the street. The workers of five other garment factories in the area joined their fellows in the demonstrations. They demanded appearance of SQ Sweater Ltd. owner Golam Faruq for settling their demands.
BGMEA officials, including Joint Secretary (Labour) Rafiqul Islam, and factory administrator Major (rtd) Mohiuddin assured the workers of resolving their problems in a bid to calm the industrial unrest. But all efforts went in vain. The workers continued agitation till 5pm.
© Copyright 2003 by The New Nation
