JMS Garments workers again block road demanding unpaid wages in Chattogram EPZ
The protests come following a layoff announcement by JMS Garments, owned by JMS Group, on 4 March due to a lack of work orders and banking complications
Workers of JMS Garments Ltd, a factory located in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ), have once again blocked the busy Airport Road this morning (24 March) demanding their due wages and Eid bonuses.
They warned that they will not leave the road until their demands are met, Chattogram Industrial Police Superintendent Mohammad Solaiman told TBS.
Authorities, including the local police, Industrial Police, and military personnel, tried to negotiate with the agitating workers, but they remained adamant about receiving their payments today. The road was blocked until 3:15 pm at the time of filing the report.
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Traffic movement on the road connecting the port and Patenga remains suspended, causing significant inconvenience to commuters. The situation remains tense as the workers insist on immediate action.
Chattogram Industrial Police Superintendent Mohammad Solaiman said, "The factory owner is in Dhaka. He has applied for a loan from Exim Bank. We have also communicated with the bank's chairman, and there is a possibility of clearing the payments tomorrow. However, the workers demand their dues today, which is not possible."
He added, "We are trying to convince the workers to clear the road and return home, but they are still blocking the road. We will continue our efforts to resolve the issue peacefully."
According to the Industrial Police, at around 11:00am today, over 500 workers gathered at the busy CEPZ Intersection of the Airport Road under EPZ police station, demanding their dues.
The protests come following a layoff announcement by JMS Garments, owned by JMS Group, on 4 March due to a lack of work orders and banking complications.
As per the Bangladesh EPZ Labor Act 2019, the management was supposed to pay the workers their February wages on 20 March and Eid bonuses on 23 March. However, none of the workers received their dues on the scheduled dates.
The factory authorities earlier issued a notice stating that wages would be paid on 25 March, but the workers rejected this and staged a protest in front of the factory on 22 March.
Later, around 600 workers blocked the CEPZ Intersection, causing a traffic standstill on the busy road connecting the port and Patenga for nearly three hours.
They withdrew the blockade after being assured by the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) that a clear directive would be issued by 24 March.
However, when the workers gathered outside the factory at 10:00am today, they found the factory locked. Frustrated, they resumed their blockade of the Airport Road, leading to severe traffic congestion.
