Nassa Mainland workers blockade Tejgaon road, withdraw after minister's assurance
They withdrew the blockade following assurances from the labour minister
The workers of Nassa Mainland garment factory staged a blockade in Dhaka's Tejgaon industrial area yesterday morning, demanding their pending wages.
Around 10:45am, some 700 to 800 workers obstructed the Tejgaon Link Road between Mohakhali and Nabisco, DMP Assistant Police Commissioner (Mohakhali Zone) Rasel Rana told The Business Standard.
During the protest, the workers chanted various slogans demanding their pending wages and allowances.
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The blockade disrupted traffic from Tejgaon to Mohakhali and Uttara, as well as from Uttara to Mohakhali via Tejgaon. Police arranged diversions to maintain vehicle movement.
Following police requests, the workers cleared the road after about half an hour and gathered in front of their factory, the police official said.
Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Choudhury and State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Md Nurul Haque rushed to the scene on instructions from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and held talks with workers and factory authorities to defuse the situation, according to a ministry press release.
State Minister Nurul Haque urged workers to remain calm and clear the road to ease public suffering, noting that coordinated efforts during the recent Eid-ul-Fitr had helped avoid such disruptions.
The labour minister informed workers that a special meeting would be held at 11am today at the labour and employment ministry.
The meeting is set to include worker representatives, Nassa Mainland authorities, the BGMEA president and other relevant stakeholders.
He said the issue involves legal complexities and ongoing cases, assuring that efforts would be made to reach a solution that safeguards workers' interests while allowing the factory to continue operations.
The workers withdrew their blockade and suspended their protest following assurances from the minister.
During the talks, Nassa Mainland authorities said operations had become difficult due to the freezing of their bank accounts and fixed assets, but expressed hope of paying March wages. They also sought government support to clear dues related to earned leave.
The group's chairman, Nazrul Islam Mazumder, is in jail over various charges including illegally acquiring wealth.
