Workers from 4 garment factories block Ashulia road over unpaid wages, factory closures
The affected factories are Goldtex Ltd, Goldtex Garments, South China Bleaching and Dyeing Factory Ltd, and Actor Sporting Ltd
Workers from four ready-made garment factories—owned by the same proprietor and located in the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ)—staged a protest on the Nabinagar–Chandra road in Ashulia, Dhaka, today (10 November), demanding payment of outstanding wages and the reopening of their closed factories.
The affected factories are Goldtex Limited, Goldtex Garments, South China Bleaching and Dyeing Factory Limited, and Actor Sporting Limited.
According to protesting workers, the factories were suddenly declared temporarily closed on 22 October, leaving three months of unpaid wages. Despite repeated assurances from management, the arrears were never cleared.
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Around 8:00am, hundreds of workers gathered in front of the DEPZ main gate and began demonstrating. When police attempted to disperse them using water cannons and tear gas, the agitated workers blocked the main road. Police later fired more tear gas to clear the blockade.
Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of Police of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, said, "The Bepza authorities tried to negotiate with the workers to vacate the road, but they refused. When law enforcement intervened, the workers started throwing bricks and stones. We were compelled to use water cannons and, later, tear gas to disperse them."
Md Shariful Islam, executive director of the Dhaka Export Processing Zone, told TBS that three of the four temporarily closed factories owe workers two and a half months' wages, while Actor Sporting Limited owes two months' pay.
He added that the management are currently working to reopen the factories, but if they fail, the units will be sold in line with government regulations, and the workers' dues will be settled from the proceeds.
