RMG workers block road in Motijheel against factory relocation

Several hundred workers of Olio Apparel Limited took to the streets in the capital's Motijheel area protesting the authorities' decision of relocating the factory to Kapasia, Gazipur, which they claim would result in losing jobs.

Roads in the Motijheel, Kamalapur and Aramabagh areas were blocked due to their protest and created a long tailback in the area causing suffering to the commuters, especially office goers and students.

They started gathering on the streets at around 8.00 am and kept staying there till the report was being written. A part of the protesters was preparing to sit in a meeting with the officials of the factory with the police acting as the mediator.

Agitated workers also claimed that they have not yet been paid last month's wages.

"I used to get a salary of Tk9,200 per month here. I got the job after coming to Dhaka in 2016 with two children after my husband left us. Both of my children are studying in school. Now it will be impossible to continue their studies," Alo, a worker of the factory, told The Business Standard.

She said, "It has become difficult to get a job after the Covid-19 pandemic. The factory has been closed amid this situation. If we had received at least the salary of the last month, we could have got some time to find another job.

Sumon Mollah, another worker of the factory, said, "They promised us to pay all the wages before the relocation of the factory. They also promised to give us one month's notice. But they did not do it."

"When we came for work on Tuesday morning, we found the factory locked with a notice hanging on the gate. Now, who will pay our wages," he added.

SM Bazlur Rashid, assistant commissioner, Motijheel Traffic Zone, told The Business Standard, "According to the protesting workers, the factory shut down their operation without any prior notice and also has not paid the due wages of the workers."

"However, the factory authorities told us that they are shifting the factory and that is why the factory is closed down from 1 November," he added.

Olio Apparel Limited, owned by Envoy Group, has around 2,000 workers.

"We are relocating the factory to Kapasia since we cannot maintain all the conditions required for compliance while being inside the city," Shehrin Salam Oishee, director of Envoy Group, told TBS.

"Since the factory is outside of the city, we cannot accommodate all the workers at the new factory. But they all have been paid their due wages," she added.