MM Knitwear workers again protest over reinstatement of sacked employees
Around 9am, they halted work and started protesting inside the factory
Ready-made garment (RMG) workers from MM Knitwear Ltd in Gazipur's Konabari area today (13 November) once again staged demonstration demanding the reinstatement of employees who were recently terminated.
Around 9am, they halted work and started protesting inside the factory, the factory's administrative officer Md Monowar Hossain told The Business Standard.
He alleged that during the protest, there was an attack on industrial police and factory staffs. "The protesters claimed the police had interfered with their activities."
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"Factory's security in-charge Mohammad Azizur Rahman and Gazipur Industrial Police-2 Constable Nahid Hossain, along with several others, were injured in the incident," Monowar said.
During this time, the agitated workers locked the main gate of the factory and took away the keys, he added.
Members of the army, Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion, Industrial Police, and Gazipur Metropolitan Police were present at the scene.
Konabari Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazrul Islam, said the workers of MM Knitwear have been on work abstention since yesterday morning.
The OC added, "A constable and factory staff have been injured in connection with the incident. The army and police are talking to the workers."
Mohammad Fazal Ali, in charge of the emergency department at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital, said a constable named Nahid arrived with a head injury and received two stitches.
According to industrial police and factory sources, due to allegations of attacks, vandalism, and disruption during the workers' protest, several factories, including MM Knitwear Ltd, MM Knitwear laid off 113 workers as per Labor Act 2006.
Although the laid-off workers received all their dues, they gathered at the factory gates demanding reinstatement.
Monowar Hossain said their demand is to reinstate the laid-off workers. But the laid-off workers are happily taking their dues. They have no complaints.
"If we cannot ship our products on time due to the current situation, orders will be cancelled, and the factory authorities will face significant losses," he added.
Yesterday, RMG workers of four factories in Gazipur's Konabari area, including three apparel factories, staged demonstrations over various demands, including payment of overdue wages and reinstatement of terminated employees.
The affected factories are – MM Knitwear Ltd, Mamun Knitwear Ltd, Swadhin Garments and Quasem Lamps Ltd.
Gazipur Industrial Police 2 Superintendent Md Sarwar Alam told TBS that a total of 14 RMG and non-RMG factories, including the four mentioned above, in Gazipur remained closed as of Tuesday.
