Gazipur RMG workers stage demonstration protesting layoffs

Workers of a garment factory in Matikata area of ​​Kaliakair upazila in Gazipur staged a demonstration in protest of layoffs.

The incident took place on Wednesday morning. Police fired tear gas and charged baton to control the situation.

According to factory workers and police sources, workers of the swing section of the third and fourth floors of Incredible Fashion Limited had been holding peaceful protests with various demands. Some 85 workers of the factory were laid off as they staged protests.

On Wednesday morning, the workers went to join back at work and saw a notice of retrenchment at the main gate of the factory.

The notice said that the swing section of the third and fourth floors of the factory suffered severe economic loss as a result of the strike by the workers without any specific reason. Due to which those two sections of the factory were declared closed indefinitely as per Section 13 (1) of the Labor Act 2006.

The notice also added that the workers would be notified when the situation is favorable for opening the factory.

Seeing the notice in front of the factory on Wednesday morning, the workers became agitated and started protesting. At one stage, the workers carried out vandalism the front of the factory.

Upon receiving the news, Sadar police and industrial police went to the spot and tried to calm down the workers. When the agitated workers started throwing brickbats, police tried to control the situation by firing tearshells, rubber bullet and baton charging.

The protesting workers said on condition of anonymity that the authorities fired an in-charge of the factory a few days ago without any reason. Workers protested to know why he had been fired. As a result of the movement, 85 workers were laid off.

Protests will continue if the laid off workers are not taken back, they said.

The manager of the factory, Md Badruzzaman said efforts were being made to resolve the issue through talks.

"Agitated workers started protesting after two sections of the factory were closed. At that time, the workers threw brickbats and injured some policemen. Police later fired 19 rounds of tear gas to control the situation, said Industrial Police Inspector Farhad Abbas.