RMG workers block road in Mirpur for 2.5hrs rejecting new minimum wage

After staging a demonstration for 2.5 hours, hundreds of ready-made garment (RMG) workers, who had blocked the Mirpur-10 intersection in the capital, concluded their protest against the Wage Board's decision to raise the minimum wage to Tk12,500.

On Sunday 8:30am, a group of workers took to the streets in Mirpur-13 before relocating to Mirpur-10, BGMEA officials confirmed.

Meanwhile, the blockade by garment workers demanding a higher minimum wage resulted in significant traffic jams on the main roads and surrounding areas. 

The majority of protesters were reported to be employees of Vision, MBM, Lodestar, Saroj Garments, and ten other garment factories in and around Mirpur-13.

Protesters stated that they took to the streets to press home for a minimum salary of at least Tk23,000 as they rejected the newly set salary of Tk12,500.

Despite the presence of police, the situation remained peaceful, with no untoward incidents reported at the time of compiling this report. 

Kafrul police station Officer-in-Charge Farukul Alam told The Business Standard that a total of 11 factories in Mirpur have been closed in accordance with section 13 (1) of the labour law. 

This section permits an employer, in response to an illegal strike in any section or department of an establishment, to entirely or partially shut down such sections or the entire establishment.

The OC said, "Some RMG workers in Mirpur reportedly refrained from work yesterday, prompting the authorities to close these factories today. While a group blocked the street this morning, prompt action by law enforcement swiftly dispersed them. Currently, the traffic situation in the area has returned to normal."