Most garment factories in Ashulia open, some workers continue protests by blocking roads
Most of the garment factories in the industrial area of Ashulia opened this morning (1 October).
However, a source in the Industrial Police said that workers in some of the factories have stopped their work.
Workers of Birds Group have been protesting by blocking the Nabinagar-Chandra road in Baipail, Ashulia, since yesterday morning (30 September), demanding payment of all legal dues, including salary, said Md Kamal Hossain, inspector of Ashulia police station (investigation).
"The workers said they will not lift the blockade from the road if their dues are not paid," he added.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Savar Highway Police Station Ayyub Ali told The Business Standard that the blockade since yesterday morning has caused long traffic jams on both sides of Nabinagar-Chandra road and Dhaka-Aricha highway between Nabinagar and Bishmail area.
Meanwhile, industry sources said that all the remaining factories, except AR Jeans Producer Limited, located on Jirabo Road in the industrial area, are operational.
AR Jeans Producers Limited has announced general leave with pay.
Mango Tex Ltd in the Tongibari area has also announced holiday, but all the other factories in the area such as Mandal Knitwear, Natural Denim, and Natural Indigo remained operational.
In the Jamgara and Narsinghpur areas, all factories except Setara are operational including Envoy, The Rose, Hamim, Sharmeen, Medlar, Anant and others. Setara has announced general leave with pay.
Skyline factory in the Baipail area has announced a holiday with pay, but all other factories are operational.
Besides, the workers of TNZ Group's Apparel Plus blocked the road in Gazipur's Board Bazar area. The factory was closed six months ago, but the management still has not paid the workers' benefits.
Apart from this, all factories in other areas of Gazipur are operational, said the industry source.
Birds Group
Workers of Birds Group started protesting by blocking the road in front of DOHS and at two points in Baipail at 9:30am yesterday (30 September) to demand payment of outstanding dues.
Later, the aggrieved workers retreated from the front of the DOHS, but the workers took a position in the Baipail area and started a protest by blocking the road, which is still going on.
On 27 August, Birds Group issued a notice stating that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the global economic downturn had left the factory without work for an extended period.
Despite continuing operations at a financial loss, the management could not secure new work orders, which was beyond their control.
Consequently, on 28 August, the group announced the shutdown of all sections of RNR Fashions Ltd., Birds Garments Ltd., Birds Fedrex Ltd., and Birds A & Z Ltd.