Workers protest Ctg gate 2 and CEPZ over unpaid wages

Workers of a garment factory named Thianis Apparels Ltd., located in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ), have been staging a protest since morning (8 May), demanding the payment of overdue wages.

Meanwhile, workers of Rahima Garments staged a protest in Chattogram's 2 no gate area today (8 May )morning, blocking the flyover road to press for payment of three months' unpaid salaries.

CEPZ

Around 600 workers gathered in front of the BEPZA zone office, adjacent to the CEPZ entrance, at around 10:00am to demand their due salaries and continued their protest until 2:30pm. Factory authorities have reportedly deferred the payment date five times, leaving workers increasingly frustrated.

According to the Industrial Police and Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), the situation has become difficult to control as workers no longer trust the factory's promises. On the other hand, the factory management has expressed its inability to clear the dues before next Monday.

Thianis Apparels Ltd. is located on Road No. 2, Sector 3 of the CEPZ, and employs around 700 workers. The factory's Managing Director is Anisur Rahman Khan. Production and export operations have remained suspended for weeks, which the management claims is a key reason behind the wage delays.

Md Abdus Sobhan, executive director of CEPZ, told The Business Standard, "The factory currently has no ongoing production or export activities. The March salary was supposed to be paid yesterday (Wednesday), but the owner cited personal issues and could not pay. He has assured us that payments will be made by Monday. However, workers are demanding that the owner address them in person, as previous commitments have not been honored."

Jashim Uddin, Additional Superintendent of Chattogram Industrial Police, said, "Thianis Apparels has around 750 workers. Salaries for March and April are pending. The management had promised to pay on five different occasions, the latest being yesterday. As they failed again, the workers began protesting in front of the BEPZA office this morning."

He added, "We have communicated with the factory owner, who assured us that salaries will be paid by Monday. But workers have lost confidence. Discussions are ongoing with BEPZA to find a solution. About 200 workers are still protesting but are expected to disperse soon."

Chattogram 2 no gate area

The demonstration, which began early in the day, severely disrupted traffic along the busy 2 no Gate area Road, leaving office-goers and Secondary School Certificate (SSC) candidates stranded in long tailbacks stretching up to Bayezid Bostami.

"We haven't been paid for three months. The authorities keep promising to pay us but do nothing," said Rabiul Hossain, a protesting worker. "We heard they removed goods from the factory last night. That made us even more uncertain about our jobs, so we had no choice but to take to the streets."

Duty Officer of Khulshi Police Station Naimur Rahman confirmed that two police teams were deployed to the scene and eventually persuaded the workers to clear the road.

Despite the protest ending, heavy traffic congestion persisted. As of 1:30pm, a one-kilometer-long jam remained at the entrance to the flyover, causing ongoing disruptions in the area.