Garment workers from a factory in Ashulia industrial zone blocked the Nabinagar-Chandra highway on Saturday, demanding unpaid annual leave allowances and the removal of seven factory officials.
The demonstration, involved over a thousand workers from Shin Shin Group's Jeans Plus Limited in Sripur area of Ashulia, caused severe traffic congestion on both sides of the highway which lasted for about three hours. The protesters dispersed only after receiving assurances from law enforcement officials.
Workers stated that they had been demanding their dues for two months, including unpaid leave allowances but the factory management failed to address their concerns.
On Thursday, workers staged a peaceful strike inside the factory, halting operations. Following this, the management removed two officials and began paying partial amounts of the dues through mobile banking. However, they promised to pay the remaining amounts on Saturday.
When the workers arrived at the factory on Saturday morning, they found a notice of closure on the main gate. Attempts to communicate with the management were unsuccessful, prompting the workers to block the highway at around 8:30 AM in protest.
According to sewing operators Aleya Akter, Shahidul, and Shapla Begum, many workers had unpaid leave dues spanning five to seven years or more. While the management had recently paid one year's worth of dues, the remaining two years' dues were still pending. "Instead of fulfilling their promise to pay the complete amount, the management declared a sudden holiday without informing us. We had no choice but to take to the streets," one worker explained.
Around 11:30 AM, law enforcement intervened and assured the workers that their concerns would be addressed. The workers then ended their blockade and cleared the road.
Mohammad Jamal, HR and Admin representative of Jeans Plus Limited, claimed that all payments were made in accordance with labor laws, attributing the incident to a "misunderstanding." However, he declined to comment on the sudden closure of the factory.
Ashulia Industrial Police Superintendent Mominul Islam confirmed that the workers had been protesting since Thursday over their dues, adding "When the workers found the factory closed on Saturday without prior notice, they resumed their protests on the highway."
