RMG workers protest in Gazipur demanding increment, expulsion of Indian factory officials

Readymade garment workers across Gazipur started protesting and blocked major highways over the district this morning (4 September) with various demands, including yearly increments and expulsion of Indian factory officials.

The situation was later calmed down with the intervention of industrial police.  

Earlier on the day, workers of RAK Ceramics Tiles and Sanitary plant in the Dhanoa area of Gazipur's Sreepur blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, demanding last year's increment and the expulsion of Indian officials.

The workers gathered at the factory's main gate at around 5am and then blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway from 6am to 11am, causing long traffic jams on both sides of the highway. 

During the protest, the workers said their last year's salary increment, which was supposed to be implemented in February this year, has not yet been executed. They also demanded the expulsion of the Indian officials due to their misconduct and arbitrariness.

"Although our increment for last year was supposed to be given in February, we have not received it yet. The issue was not resolved despite multiple discussions with the authorities. Most of the senior management in our factory are Indians, and we often do not agree with them," said Mehedi Hasan, a sanitary ware casting supervisor at the factory.  

"The Indian officials in the factory do not accept our demands and sometimes treat us very poorly, which is why we do not want any Indian officials here," he added. 

Parveen Akter, assistant casterman of the factory, said, "The increment is our rightful claim; why shouldn't they give it to us? The higher authorities misbehave with us whenever we demand our increments."

Multiple attempts to contact Abdur Razzak from the factory's Human Resources Department were unsuccessful as he was unwilling to speak.

Meanwhile, workers demanding jobs staged demonstrations and blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in front of the Golden Refit Garments Limited factory in Gazipur's Bagher Bazar area.

Workers from Uni Health Pharmaceuticals in the Rajendrapur area protested, seeking to eliminate salary discrepancies, among other demands.

SM Azizul Haque, additional superintendent of police of Industrial Police-2 in Sreepur, said workers from several industrial establishments protested since the morning across Gazipur. 

"After discussions with the factory authorities and workers, assurances were given to meet their demands, prompting the workers to leave the highway. Traffic returned to normalcy by 11am in the Sreepur section of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway," he added. 

In Gazipur's Kaliakair, workers at Transcom Beverages protested this morning, demanding the removal of Indian officials, regularisation of jobs for daily wage workers, salary payment by the 5th of each month, and the cancellation of night shifts for female workers, among a total of 20 demands. 

Following discussions with the factory owners with police as a mediator, the workers calmed down and halted their protests. 

In the Basan area of Gazipur, workers blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway to protest against gender discrimination in employment, asserting that female workers often receive priority over male workers in hiring. 

The protesting workers expressed their rejection of such discrimination.

Imran Ahmed, additional superintendent of Industrial Police, said that workers from several factories and some job seekers protested over various demands in the morning. 

"After discussions, the situation was brought under control. The situation has been normal since the afternoon," he added.