Workers stage daylong protest at CEPZ RMG factory over unpaid wages

Nearly 700 workers of Thianis Apparels Ltd, a garment factory located inside the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ), staged a daylong protest today (26 June), demanding payment of their outstanding wages for May 2025.

The workers halted production at 9:20am and began a sit-in inside the factory premises, Abdus Sobhan, executive director of Chattogram EPZ, told The Business Standard.

"The factory was indeed supposed to pay wages today. When the factory failed to do so, nearly 700 workers first demonstrated inside the premises and later blocked the CEPZ's main gate," he said.

"The factory authorities have informed us in writing that they expect to pay the workers on 2 July, subject to receiving export payments. Although this was communicated to the workers, they continued the blockade until around 8:00pm," Sobhan added.

According to factory sources, as no assurance of wage payment came from the factory management, the protest escalated around 2:45pm when the workers moved to the CEPZ's main in/out gate, blocking all vehicle movement.

As a result, operations at the zone's main gate came to a standstill.

Today was the scheduled date for the factory to clear workers' wages. However, the management informed the workers that, due to financial constraints, they would be unable to make the payments as promised.

This is not the first time the workers have raised concerns over unpaid wages.

From 16 to 18 June, they had already observed a sit-in over the same issue. At that time, the factory authorities had assured that the dues would be paid by today, prompting the workers to return to work.