Staff Reporter :
Workers of a garment factory in Narayanganj staged a protest on Wednesday, blocking the Dhaka-Narayanganj road for several hours to demand an end to layoffs, withdrawal of cases, and the reopening of their factory.
At around 12 PM, hundreds of workers from Eurotex Knitwear Limited occupied the road in the Shibu Market area, causing severe traffic disruption. The blockade continued until 6 PM, leading to significant inconvenience for commuters. This protest followed a similar demonstration on Monday, where workers staged a three-hour blockade in Chashara, Narayanganj.
According to the protesters, Eurotex Knitwear Limited, located in Nayamati, Fatullah, employs over 4,000 workers, and labour unrest has been ongoing for months. Factory authorities recently dismissed 27 workers, sparking further tensions.
On February 10, a group of workers demonstrated inside the factory, demanding overdue wages and other rightful benefits. In response, factory authorities issued show-cause notices and temporarily suspended several protesters. On Sunday, a notice was placed at the factory gate declaring its closure under Section 13(1) of the labour law.
Some workers also alleged that cases were filed against them on charges of vandalism and violence inside the factory. They claimed the accusations were false and were meant to suppress their demands.
Despite previous assurances from the factory management, no resolution was reached, and workers reported being threatened with violence.
The blockade was lifted at around 5:30 PM, with normal traffic resuming 30 minutes later.
Speaking to the media, Shariful Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Fatullah Model Police Station, said, “The workers blocked the road demanding the reopening of the factory and withdrawal of cases, disrupting traffic. They removed the blockade in the evening after receiving assurances of a resolution.”
Meanwhile, Mohammad Hatem, President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), stated that efforts were underway in collaboration with the administration to resolve the unrest at Eurotex Knitwear Limited.
