RMG workers' protest over arrears in Cumilla create 20km tailback on Dhaka-Ctg highway
The protesting workers said even with only a few days left before Eid-ul-Adha, neither their salaries for April and May, nor Eid bonus have been paid as of today.
Workers of a readymade garment (RMG) factory in Cumilla today (14 June) blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram highway for an hour demanding the payment of their due salary and bonus.
The demonstration by workers of Denim Processing Plant in Chandina upazila from 11:00am resulted in a 20 kilometre-long tailback on the busy highway, Chandina Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ahmed Sanjur Morshed told The Business Standard.
The protesting workers said factory authorities often delay in paying their wages. With only a few days left before Eid-ul-Adha, neither their salaries for April and May, nor Eid bonus have been paid as of today.
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They also claimed that the factory owners owe them two months of salaries and Eid bonus.
However, Denim Processing's Managing Director Md Jahangir Alam said, "Disbursement of salary and bonus has already begun from Thursday (13 June). The disbursement also continued on Friday morning."
"Not all workers protested, only a few," he added.
Meanwhile, OC Morshed said the police and local administration talked to the protesting workers and requested them to leave the road with promises of salary-bonus payment from factory owners.
Chandina Upazila Nirbahi Officer Jaber Md Shoaib said, "We have talked to the factory owners. They promised to clear the dues within today. Following their assurance, the protestors left the road."
Meanwhile, the hour-long blockade created a 20 kilometre-long tailback on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway from the cantonment area to Eliotganj. The traffic congestion lasted till 4:00pm.
The Cumilla-Sylhet and Cumilla-Noakhali highways were also affected by the road blockade.
Describing the sufferings on the road, Abdullah Saud, who journeyed from Dhaka to Cumilla today, said, "I boarded the bus at 10:00pm from Dhaka. There was heavy traffic on the road. The bus moved very slowly. We got stuck in a traffic jam after reaching Daudkandi. Took me till 3:00pm to reach Cumilla."
