Road blockade and protest by workers on various roads in Gazipur

Factory workers are protesting in Gazipur demanding annual salary increase and removal of Indian officials. Among them, the workers of RAK Ceramics in Dhanua area of ​​Sripur Upazila, Golden Refit Garments Limited in Bagher Bazar area of ​​Sadar Upazila, Transcom Beverages in Telirchala area of ​​Kaliakair Upazila, Basan in Mahanagar and Uni Health Pharmaceuticals in Rajandrepur area blocked the road and protested.

On Wednesday (September 4) at 6 am, workers from RAK Ceramics started their agitation in Dhanua area of ​​Sripur upazila. At 7 in the morning they took a position in front of the factory on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and the traffic stopped. Later, when a team of the army came to the spot and discussed with the protesting workers and the factory authorities and assured them to fulfill their demands, traffic was normalized at 11 am.

Talking to the agitating workers, it is known that the workers of RAK Ceramic BD Limited in Dhanua area of ​​Sripur Upazila have been agitating since Wednesday morning with 11 demands. 11 demands including removal of Indian officials, appointment of proper employees as per educational qualification, ensuring annual salary increment every year.

The workers there say that the Indian officials do not evaluate them in any matter. No good response is received from them. After they came in charge, we were deprived of various facilities. Besides, workers and Bangladeshi officials are not appointed according to educational qualifications. Besides, according to the current context, 11 demands have been given including guaranteed salary and increment. The matter has been contacted several times with the company's chief executive officer and senior officials since last February, but they have not come up with any solution.

In addition, the workers had been protesting since Tuesday demanding 20 points from Transcom Beverage in Telirchala area of ​​Kaliakair upazila. On Wednesday morning, they demanded 20 points, including the removal of Indian officials, permanent employment of workers hired on daily wages, payment of salaries within 5 days, cancellation of night duty for women workers. On the other hand, job-seeking workers blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in front of Golden Refit Garments Limited in Bagher Bazar area of ​​Gazipur Sadar Upazila.

Besides, the workers protested by blocking the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Basan area of ​​Gazipur metropolis to prevent the discrimination of men and women in the recruitment of workers. The agitating workers said that women workers are given more priority than men in jobs. We do not want such discrimination.

In Rajandrepur area of ​​Gazipur, Uni Health Pharmaceuticals is agitating in a medicine manufacturing company. At that time, they made several demands including elimination of salary discrimination.

Confirming the matter, Additional Superintendent of Police of Sreepur Camp of Gazipur Industrial Police-2 SM Azizul Haque said that workers have been protesting in some industrial establishments since Wednesday morning. After discussing with the factory authorities and workers and assured to accept the demands, the workers left the highway. Later, traffic on the highway was normalized. He also claimed that since 11 o'clock, the traffic flow has been normalized on the Sreepur section of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.

Bangladesh /KH