NN Online:
Workers of TNZ Group have declared that they will continue their sit-in protest in front of the Labour Building until their unpaid wages and Eid bonuses are fully paid. They have warned that if their demand for at least one month’s salary and Eid bonus is not met, they will celebrate Eid on the protest site itself.
On Saturday, the Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, A.H.M. Shafiquzzaman, held a meeting with worker representatives at the Labour Building in Bijoynagar, Dhaka. The meeting lasted until 4:45 PM but failed to fully resolve the workers’ demands, leading them to continue their protest.
During the meeting, the Labour Secretary stated that an initial sum of BDT 30 million (3 crore) has been arranged, and another meeting is scheduled for April 8. He assured that the crisis would be fully resolved before May Day. Additionally, he announced that TNZ Group’s Director Shaheen and three senior officials would remain in the custody of law enforcement agencies.
However, worker representatives rejected this proposal. They insisted that at least one month’s salary and the Eid bonus must be paid before Eid. Shahidul Islam, a representative of Apparel Plus Eco Ltd., stated, “Our total outstanding amount is BDT 1.7 billion (170 crore). If we accept just BDT 30 million (3 crore), each worker would receive only BDT 6,000, which is completely unacceptable.”
Since March 23, around 3,000 workers from TNZ Group’s three factories have been staging a sit-in protest in front of the Labour Building. Some of them have not received wages for three months, while others have been waiting for four months. Frustration among the workers grew after no concrete assurance of full payment was provided before Eid.
After the meeting, when the Labour Secretary was leaving the building, angry workers sat in front of his car, blocking his exit. In response, the Secretary announced that an amount of BDT 30 million would be disbursed before Eid. However, the workers remained steadfast in their demand for full payment of at least one month’s salary and the Eid bonus.
Worker leaders have made it clear that if their demands are not met before Eid, they will celebrate Eid in front of the Labour Building as a form of protest.
