Rafiqul Islam Biplob

Workers of Khantex Fashion Factory of KFL Group have protested in Sreepur, Gazipur demanding payment of salary and other arrears.
Later, the factory declared holiday on Tuesday.

More than a hundred workers started protesting in front of Khantex Fashion Factory in Bartopa village of Maona Union of the upazila from 8 am on Tuesday (December 24).

Overlock operator of the factory's net section Lutfar Rahman, packing man of the finishing section Emdad Hossain, swing operators of the net section Seema Akhter and Halima Akhter and others said that they have been observing a peaceful work stoppage inside the factory since Saturday demanding payment of salary and other arrears for the half of November and the current (December) month. Other arrears include night bill, tiffin bill, incentive bonus, Friday duty money, earned leave money, production bonus, maternity leave money, which have been outstanding for the past 4 years.

The workers told the workers that they do not even remember when they received any of the benefits other than salary. Since they did not pay the night bill, tiffin bill, leave money and other benefits, they have now forgotten when they received those benefits. We are protesting demanding half of the salary for November and the current (December) month. Although the factory authorities have assured us of paying all the outstanding dues for the past 4 days, they are not paying any of the outstanding dues. We have been peacefully protesting for 4 days demanding the payment of the arrears.

The workers also said that although the regular salary is supposed to be paid on the 8th working day of every month, the salary has been paid irregularly (sometimes on the 15th, 18th, 25th of the month) for the past two years.

The manager of the production branch (quality department) said on condition of anonymity that the management staff (executives, managers, AGM, GM) officers are also owed 3 months' salary. Many officers have been fired from the factory without being paid their salaries for the months of January-February of this year. When those officers contacted the factory authorities for their arrears of those two months, the factory's Assistant General Manager (AGM) of the Human Resources and Administration Department (AGM) Humayun Kabir advised them to contact the accounts department. When they were taken to the accounts department, the executive officer of that branch, Rabiul Islam, told them that the Human Resources Department had not submitted any bill to him. They are angry with the factory authorities' behavior towards the workers and officers.

Gazipur Industrial Police Inspector (Sreepur Zone) Abdul Latif Khan said that the workers have been peacefully protesting and demonstrating inside the factory for the past few days, demanding payment of their arrears including salaries.

On Tuesday ( morning, the workers protested and marched to the main gate of the factory, and the authorities declared a factory holiday for today. Many workers are still sitting in front of the factory. The workers said they will not return home until they receive their salaries.

Humayun Kabir, Assistant General Manager (AGM) of the factory's Human Resources and Administration Department, denied the allegations leveled against him and said that currently, it has been a problem to pay salaries for two months due to non-issuance of bank LC.

He also said that most of the workers have accepted our decision, but some workers are not. Discussions are ongoing on this issue.

Azizul Islam, General Secretary of the Garment Workers Trade Union Center, Gazipur District, said, "The Khantex factory authorities have been delaying the payment of salaries and other dues to the working workers for a long time. We are demanding payment of all the dues of the workers."