Fresh labour unrest in Ashulia

RMG workers demonstrate in Ashulia demanding pay hike and immediate reopening of their factories Tuesday. TV grab. Workers of three readymade garment factories in Ashulia demonstrated Tuesday morning halting production at their units demanding pay hike and immediate reopening of factories. The demonstration, beginning around 8:30am at Medlar Apparels, NASA Group and Starling Sweaters, continued for around one and half hours.

A section of workers of Medlar Apparels in Narasinghapur blocked Dhaka-Tangail highway for 30 minutes in the morning demanding immediate reopening of their factory. The production at Medlar Apparels remained suspended following the recent workers' unrest that erupted from May 1, said Reaz Bin Mahmood, vice-president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). On May 13, garment makers decided to close around 200 factories in Ashulia for an indefinite period due to continued labour unrest over wage and attendance bonus hike, the BGMEA vice-president said.

Later, the factories were reopened after a three-day shutdown and a consequence of the decision, Medlar Apparels was also reopened on May 17, the BGMEA official added. But the authorities of the factory were compelled to shut the unit following fresh labour unrest over the same demand and since then the factory remain closed, he added. Meanwhile, the workers of NASA Group hold a rally in front of their factory demanding lunch allowance, said Nazrul Islam Mazumder, chairman of the group.

The production at the factory came to a halt as the workers left the unit, the chairman added. The workers of Starling Sweaters also left their factory demanding salary and other allowances hike, said Abdus Salam Morshedy, a former BGMEA president. On the other hand, Ha-Meem Group, a leading garment maker, resumed its production Tuesday morning after a one-day halt following labour unrest, Morshedy added.