Garment workers block roads in Chattogram for arrears

More than 200 workers of a garment factory called MM Apparel protested by blockading the road for arrears of wages in Chattogram's Bohoddarhat Badurtala area.

Police said the workers were protesting because the owners said they would pay the salaries on Sunday but did not.

Dewan Kaushik, inspector of Chattogram Industrial Police, told The Business Standard, "About 200 workers work at MM Apparel. They have not been getting paid for the last three months. MM Apparel's owners had promised to pay workers on Sunday. Accordingly, workers come to the factory to receive salaries. They were waiting for the pay since morning. But as authorities did not pay them, the unpaid workers blocked the road and staged protests."

Meanwhile, the movement of vehicles from Chawkbazar to Bahaddarhat was stopped when the workers started protesting in the streets. Workers staged demonstrations on the streets for an hour before the police removed them from the road.

Panchalaish Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abul Kashem Bhuiyan said, "At around 12 noon, the workers of the MM Apparel blocked the road and started protesting. The police went and talked to the owner and the workers. Later the workers were sent off with the promise that they will get their salaries. A meeting will be held at Panchlaish police station on Sunday night between the owner and workers."

Our correspondent tried to contact MM Apparel owners but none of them were reachable. They were called multiple times but no one received the call.

It should be noted that garments across the country have been declared closed to prevent coronavirus infection. However, many factory owners have not yet paid the workers' salary. Therefore, garment workers are protesting for payment in different parts of the country.