Beximco workers block Chandra-Nabinagar road for 4th day demanding October salaries
Workers of Beximco Industrial Park in Gazipur blocked the Chandra-Nabinagar road for the fourth day today, demanding their due October salaries.
The protest, which began in the morning near the road's Sarabo Chakrabarty area, led to long tailbacks, forcing many commuters to either walk or use auto-rickshaws to reach their destinations through alternative routes.
Kashimpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saiful Islam told The Business Standard, "The workers started their protests around 9am again, demanding their due salaries, blocking the Chandra-Nabinagar road.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
"We are working on removing them from the road," he added.
Meanwhile, the workers, who have faced delays in salary payments, vowed to continue their protest until their dues are cleared.
"We have had to protest to get our salaries for the last few months," said Azizul, one of the protesters. "None of us will protest if we get the salaries on time. We will keep working if they pay us," he added.
Another worker, Razia Akhter, added, "If they do not pay us today, we are not leaving the road."
"They don't care unless we block the road. They do not want to listen to us," she added.
The workers had staged protests on Sunday as well, bringing traffic to a complete halt and causing significant congestion on both sides of the road.
The demand for their due salaries initially began on 14 November but was on halt on Friday. The protests resumed again on Saturday, escalating it into a ten-hour highway blockade.
Meanwhile, while speaking to journalists on Sunday at the Bangladesh Secretariat, Labour and Employment Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman said the ongoing labour unrest at Beximco would be resolved once an administrator assumes full control.
An executive director of Bangladesh Bank has already been appointed as the administrator, he noted, adding, "The problem will be addressed once the takeover is complete."
