Workers protest in Ashulia demanding Tk 30,000 minimum wage, at least 50 factories declare holiday
Widespread worker unrest has spread through Ashulia, the industrial belt in Savar, over the demand for a monthly minimum wage of Tk 30,000. Facing protests by garment workers, authorities have declared a general holiday at at least 50 factories in Ashulia.
On Sunday (1 November) afternoon, Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, confirmed the factory closures.
According to related sources, in the morning workers of Al-Muslim, Trouser Line and New Age factories in the Nishchintapur area of Ashulia entered their workplaces, stopped production and began a work stoppage.
They later came out of the factories and took to the streets in protest, and workers of other nearby garment factories joined the movement in solidarity. The unrest quickly spread across a wide area of Ashulia.
Around 12 noon, protesters blocked the road in front of Ananta Garments in the Narsinghpur area. Police tried to clear the protesters from the road, and chases and counter-chases took place between police and workers. No casualties were immediately reported.
The protesters have three main demands. First, setting the minimum wage at Tk 30,000. Second, preventing the dismissal of workers without cause. Third, immediately stopping the practice of blacklisting workers by preparing lists.
Khairul Mamun Mintu, legal affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Sweater Workers Trade Union Centre, said workers have taken to the streets in anger mainly over these three demands.
According to Mintu, although a wage board has been formed, workers of different factories have taken to the streets in protest in the expectation that the demands will be implemented quickly.
Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, told a media outlet that workers had been protesting since morning after stopping work.
He said a general holiday has been declared at at least 50 factories to prevent the situation from worsening. He also noted that law enforcement agencies are active to keep the overall situation under control.
