Protest in Gazipur as 2,203 Keya Group workers laid off ahead of shutdown
A protest erupted in Gazipur's Konabari area this morning (3 March) as 2,203 workers from two Keya Group factories were laid off ahead of a planned shutdown scheduled for 1 May.
The workers demonstrated in front of the factory at 8:20am and later gathered at the main gate of Koya Cosmetics.
Police from Gazipur Industrial Police and Konabari police station arrived at the scene to control the situation.
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Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Konabari police station, GMPI, Nazrul Islam, said, "We are working at the scene and trying to control the situation by explaining things to the workers."
On 2 January, the management of the Keya Group issued a notice announcing the permanent closure of four factories, including the Keya Group's Knit Composite Division and MP Sweaters Limited, from 1 May.
The closure was attributed to factors such as market instability, discrepancies with banks, a shortage of raw materials, and insufficient production capacity.
The notice also stated that workers' dues would be settled in accordance with labour law by May.
However, a notice signed by the chairman of the factories informed the workers today that 2,203 employees would be laid off two months ahead of the announced shutdown date.
The notice reads, "Keya Cosmetics Limited (Knit Composite Division), MP Sweaters Limited, Zarun, Konabari, Gazipur, hereby informs all workers and employees that, in light of unresolved banking issues, they will be permanently released from service starting 1 March 2025, instead of the previously announced closure date of 1 May, 2025."
The notice further mentioned that the laid-off workers' dues would be paid within the next 30 working days as per labour law. It also stated that if the issues were resolved, the laid-off workers would be given priority for reemployment. However, disabled and pregnant female workers were exempt from this notice.
When the workers arrived to start their shifts this morning, they found the layoff notice.
The workers said that although the closure notice had been issued earlier, the sudden layoff of such a large number of employees came as a surprise.
They claimed that the management had not yet paid the dues of the laid-off workers, and the protest was in response to this failure to settle the payments.
Sabina Yasmin, the HR manager of Keya Group, said, "All laid-off workers will receive their dues according to labor law. Although the law requires payment within 30 working days, we plan to pay them by 24 March."
She also explained, "We have been facing many problems for a long time due to banking issues. The bank is not cooperating with us, and the factory owner is currently in jail. The owner's daughter has assured us that all dues will be settled on time."
The official further added, "While the workers have been working until now, the current demand is that if the factory remains operational, everyone will work; if not, no one will. How can management address this? Right now, the workers want their wages, but how is that possible?"
