Beximco workers block highway again despite govt granting Tk60cr loan for clearing wages

Despite the government granting Tk60 crore in loans to Beximco Group to pay off the overdue wages yesterday, workers of Beximco Industrial Park blocked the Chandra-Nabinagar highway again at 9am this morning (20 November).

This is the sixth day they have blocked the highway since last Thursday (14 November), demanding the payment of October salaries.

The protesters halted their blockade at around 2:00pm following assurances from the Bangladesh Army members that their salaries would be paid within two days. But they later blocked the road again within an hour, causing immense traffic congestion and sufferings to commuters. Vehicular movement on the road remained suspended as of the filing of this report till 7:00pm. 

Before the Beximco workers started their blockade, workers from a Hamim Group factory blocked the Jirani point of the same highway as rumours spread that one of the three women workers who was reportedly injured while crossing the road this morning has died. 

Hamim Group workers lifted their blockade around 11:30am when army officials went on the spot. 

However, two blockades on the same road completely halted vehicular movement on the highway, causing severe inconveniences to commuters. 

Vehicles heading to northern Bangladesh are maintaining road connectivity with Dhaka using alternative routes through Gazipur on the Dhaka-Tangail highway and the Dhamrai-Kaliakoir regional road. 

"Since morning, the movement of vehicles has been completely halted due to the workers' blockade. We are trying to persuade the workers to move from the road. Once the workers leave the road, traffic will resume," said Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Kashimpur Police Station.

Beximco Industrial Park workers blocked the road demanding unpaid wages for October last Thursday. After a break on Friday (15 November), they resumed the blockade at 8:30am on Saturday (16 November). 

Although they cleared the road at night, they resumed the blockade the next day (17 November). 

Despite protesting all day yesterday (19 November), the workers received no response. The workers lifted the blockade and returned home around 10pm last night. 

The factories inside the Beximco Industrial Park in Gazipur's Sarabo are owned by Salman F Rahman, industrial adviser to the ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. 

Sources said the company has been unable to pay workers' wages on time since Salman's arrest. 

Every month, the workers have to protest to receive their wages. 

Rumours of female worker's death led to Hamim Group's blockade

Workers of a Hamim Group factory started protesting as three of its women workers were hit by an unidentified vehicle and got injured around 6am this morning. 

Rumours later spread that one of the female workers had died, which caused the workers to become agitated and block the Jirani portion of the Chandra-Nabinagar highway from 8am to 11:30am.

Workers said they blocked the road, demanding the construction of an overbridge and fixing management issues at the factory.

Upon receiving the news, army personnel and industrial police arrived at the spot around 11:30am and persuaded the workers to clear the road.

Doreen workers did not protest today

On 1 November, authorities announced the indefinite closure of three factories of the Doreen Group in Gazipur's Panishail area without notice. 

Workers from the three factories began demonstrating on Monday, demanding the reopening of the factories. 

After two days of protests, the management yesterday promised to reopen the factories by Thursday (21 November), which the workers accepted. 

Therefore, Doreen's workers did not join today's protest.