Gazipur Correspondent

Garment workers in Gazipur’s Konabari are protesting against layoffs, delayed wages, and over demands for attendance bonuses across three factories.

The protest has led to 14 other factories temporarily shutting operations.

“There has been no issue on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway after the problem of TNZ Apparels Ltd in Malek Bari area was ‘resolved’. But the workers of three factories in the Konabari area are protesting,” said Mohammad Sarwar Alam, a superintendent of Industrial Police in Gazipur, on Tuesday.

The employees of MM Knitwear Limited, Shadhin Garments Ltd, and Quasem Lamps Ltd began protesting on Tuesday morning, said Alam.

According to industrial police and workers who participated in the protest, MM Knitwear fired at least 150 employees over allegations of vandalism, chaos and attacks carried out on the factory during the agitation.

Despite their dues being settled, the laid-off workers are now protesting outside the factory for their jobs to be reinstated.

To protest against the layoffs, all the employees of the factory began a strike On Tuesday morning, and later gathered inside the factory to continue their protest.

Efforts to contact MM Knitwear Production Officer Monowar Hossain for comment were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, the workers of Shadhin Garments in Konabari’s Jarun area are protesting outside the factory premises over the timely payment of wages, allowances, and labour torture.

They protested over the same demands on Monday as well.

According to the employees of Shadhin Garments, their salaries are typically due by the 7th of each month.

However, they have not yet received their wages for the month of October.

Factory Manager Md Asaduzzaman told bdnews24.com: “There has been a delay in the payment of salaries due to banking issues. However, efforts are being made to pay the workers’ wages quickly.”

Quasem Lamps workers are also pushing for a 10-point demand, including attendance bonuses and meal allowances.

Industrial police are monitoring the situation closely as protests continue at the affected factories, said Alam.