12 workers detained over violence during protest demanding wages for 'no work, no pay' period in Ashulia
Some of the workers, however, alleged that it was the factory officials, who beat protesters during a discussion
A team of joint forces today (12 October) detained 12 ready-made garment workers in connection with reported attacks on an apparel factory and its staff during a protest demanding wages for September's 'no work, no pay' period in Dhaka's Ashulia.
Of the detainees, four are workers of Ssain Apparels Ltd factory at Amtala Bazar area of Ashulia while the rest are employees of another factory, Superintendent of Industrial Police-1 Sarwar Alam told The Business Standard.
The four detained Ssain Apparels employees were staging a protest demanding wages for the 'no work, no pay policy' period, recently implemented by factory authorities amid labour unrest.
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"During the protest, they attacked the factory staff and its officers," said Sarwar.
The other eight threw brickbats at the factory during the protest, said the police official.
He, however, could not immediately clarify why the employees of another factory took part in the protest and threw brickbats.
Speaking to TBS, Ashulia Police Station Officer-In-Charge Abu Bakr Siddique said, "Joint forces have detained 12 labourers and handed them over to us. The process of taking legal action against them is underway."
Meanwhile, Ssain Apparel workers said during the labour unrest last month, the environment of the factory was normal initially. But at one stage, its workers also started protesting over various demands, including an increase in attendance bonus.
Later, on 11 September, the workers began to protest inside the factory to push home their 18-point demand, which prompted factory authorities to declare a holiday on that day.
The factory was later declared closed indefinitely under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act, on the basis of no work, no pay, which continued until 24 September.
The workers said the factory resumed operations on 25 September.
"After the factory reopened under regular terms, the authorities paid our salaries for the month of September on 9 October excluding the wage for the 'no work, no pay' period. They cut off the money for that period for every worker," said one protester, on condition of anonymity.
The workers then went on a work abstention today demanding their unpaid wage.
Counter allegations
"My salary is Tk14,000, but I got Tk9,000. I was also not given Tk500 as an attendance bonus. This has happened to everyone," another worker of the factory told TBS on condition of anonymity.
The worker continued that at around 10:00am, the factory authorities held a discussion with the protesting workers today.
"At one point in the discussion, some men of the factory owners started to beat the workers. Later, around 11:40am, police and army personnel entered the factory and arrested 20-25 male workers and took them into their car. When some of the workers protested against the arrest, the law enforcement officers charged batons. Later, the authorities announced a holiday for the day," said the protester.
Another worker said the 'no work, no pay' policy was implemented in some other nearby factories too, but the workers of those factories were paid in full for the month of September, which prompted Ssain Apparel employees to announce a work abstention.
Mojammil Hussain, managing director of Ssain Apparels Limited, could not be reached over the phone for a comment in this regard.
