RMG workers demonstrate in front of BGMEA Bhaban

Star file photoStar Online Report

Hundreds of ready-made garment workers from Ashulia demonstrated in front of the capital's BGMEA Bhaban this evening demanding their due salaries and arrears.
Nearly three hundred workers from Seasons Sweater factory in the Ashulia's Bypile area boarding on three trucks came to the capital and took position in front of the Karwan Bazar's Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Bhaban around 7:00pm as they did not get their salaries from nearly four months, the workers claimed.
Later, around 9:30pm the workers have withdrawn their agitation programme as the BGMEA leaders paid them a token amount and assured them to solve the problem after Eid vacation, sources said.
The workers said they demanded the BGMEA leaders' intervention in the matter so that they could get their salaries and arrears ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr, a largest festival for the Muslims.
When contacted Badal Roy, one of the directors of the BGMEA, told The Daily Star that they were in touch with the factory owner Ziaul Amin on Thursday and he (Ziaul Amin) assured them that he would pay the arrears and also cleared off the salaries within today.
But, today his cell phone was found switch off, the BGMEA director claimed.
The workers also said the owner of the factory padlocked his factory on September 6, in the wake of the protest by the workers, as he did not pay their arrears and salaries.
From that day, they have been demonstrating in front of their factory to press home their demand, the workers said, adding that at one stage Officer-in-Charge of Ashulia Police Station Monwar Hossain assured them that he would clear their salaries selling the machineries and furniture of the factory within this afternoon.
As, the Ashulia police chief failed to fulfil their demands, the workers found no other way to came to the BGMEA leaders to solve their problem, they going on.