Workers Halt Work at Three Ashulia Factories Demanding Tk 30,000 Minimum Wage, Take Position on Road
The Ashulia industrial area in Savar upazila of Dhaka has heated up over demands including fixing the minimum wage of ready-made garment workers at Tk 30,000. Since Sunday (November 1) morning, workers have been observing a work stoppage at at least three factories, and workers of several factories have also taken to the road.
Ashulia industrial area police said the workers have stopped work and are staying inside the factories. Production at other factories, however, remains normal. Alongside loudspeaker announcements, law enforcement remains on alert to keep the situation under control.
Around 9am on Sunday, a visit to the Pallibidyut, Unique, Jamgora and Narsinghapur areas of Ashulia found activities running at different factories there. Police members were seen on duty at various points and in front of factories to keep the law-and-order situation normal.
Members of Ashulia Industrial Police-1 said workers of Al-Muslim Apparels in the Nishchintapur area, a factory of the NewAge Group and Trouser Line Limited have stopped work and are staying inside their factories.
Around 9:30am, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, said: “Activities at most factories have been normal since morning. But workers at three factories have stopped work.”
Khairul Mamun, law affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Centre, said: “Workers at the factories are working peacefully. But workers at three factories have stopped work. To keep the situation normal, importance must be given to the factories where work is stopped. Talks must be held with the workers quickly.”
Meanwhile, around 10am, Ashulia Industrial Police-1 made announcements over a loudspeaker from a police vehicle. It was stated that the industrial police is sincere about the workers' logical demands and is serving beside the workers to maintain law and order.
The announcement said: “The Industrial Police has always been beside you in this industrial area, providing peace, order and security services. The Industrial Police has always worked beside worker brothers and sisters to realise your just demands and rights.”
Meanwhile, around 10:45am, a group of workers from several factories took position on the Abdullahpur-Baipail road in front of a Sharmin Group factory in the Narsinghapur area of Ashulia. They kept chanting slogans demanding a pay rise.
At one stage, the industrial police requested the workers to move off the road and stand to one side. The workers then took position beside the road.
However, around 11:30am they took position on the road again, according to the report.
