RMG workers’ protest against factory relocation

Staff Reporter :
Garment workers blocked road in the capital’s Motijheel and its adjacent areas on Tuesday in protest against the authorities’ decision of relocation of their factory and non-payment of wage arrears and other allowances.
The workers of Olio Apparels Limited took to the roads in front of Notre Dame College from Motijheel intersection to Arambagh at about 8am, causing severe traffic jam in the busiest commercial area of the city.
According to witnesses, vehicular movement came to apparent standstill as the workers took to the streets from the beginning of the day.
Shuli, an operator of the factory, said that she came to the factory for work in the morning as like other day. “But it was closed. The authorities announced a sudden closure on Tuesday,” she added.
However, the workers protested against the decision and demanded their unpaid wages.
The protesting workers claimed that they have been working in the factory for a long time. Earlier, they were informed that the factory would be relocated to Dakhsin Khan, Uttara in Dhaka.
However, it was said that they will be notified one month prior to relocation all dues will be paid. But, the authorities closed the factory without any prior notice, they claimed.
Workers also said that they would not leave the streets until factory owners meet their five-point demand.
Their five-point demand includes providing workers with a compensation equal to four basic salaries for notice pay purpose, a basic salary for annual service benefit, arrear on annual leave, payment of maternity leave and two festival bonus.
Meanwhile, thousands of passengers, especially, office-goers suffered the most as vehicular movement came to a halt at the city’s key intersections from Motijheel Shapla Chattar, Arambagh, Kamalapur, Fakirapool, Dainik Bangla, Paltan and Kakrail following workers’ protest.
A private office employee said that he had to walk to Motijheel Shapla Chattar from Raju Bhaban in the morning to
reach his destination amid traffic gridlock. Public transport and other vehicles could not come in Motijheel Shapla Chattar area due to the protest.
The vehicles, left in front of Motijheel Janata Bank, are coming out through Kakrail via Dainik Bangla intersection and Fakirapool intersection, said an on-duty police officer at Fakirapool traffic box adding that this has increased traffic congestion in these areas.
Kamalapur-railway bound people also were experiencing untold suffering and they were seen walking with their bags and baggage under the sun to reach the station on time amid traffic jams.
Motijheel Division Additional Deputy Commissioner Enamul Haque Mithu said a severe traffic gridlock was created on the roads in Motijheel and its adjoining areas workers’ protest by blocking the road in front of Notre Dame from Motijheel intersection to Arambagh.
 Additional police have been deployed to avoid any untoward incident.
Enamul Haque Mithu said that they have contacted with the authorities of the garment owners.
“We are trying to normalize the situation,” he said.
Shehrin Salam Oishee, a director of Envoy Group, which owns Olio Apparels Limited, and also a director of the BGMEA, said the company was relocating the factory to Uttara as it could not maintain all the conditions required for compliance while being inside the city.
She said as the new factory would be outside the city, the company might not accommodate all the workers who worked at the Kamalapur unit. “But they all have been paid their due wages,” she added.