Former employees of the multinational garment retailer Debenhams on Saturday protested their unlawful layoff and demanded paying their wages, which remained unpaid since April.
They also demanded legal action to be taken against the UK-based company, who, they claimed, did not follow due process and regulations before closing its office in Bangladesh.
Under the banner of Debenhams Bangladesh Employees Union (DBEU), they held a press conference in this regard at the Dhaka Reporter's Unity (DRU) premises.
According to them, Debenhams had been operating a liaison office in Bangladesh for the last seven years without ever incurring any losses.
However, the company decided to shut down its liaison office amid the Covid-19 outbreak in April.
The British company simply sent a memo that the office would shut down from April 15, but its official activities would remain until August.
Since April, the employees did not receive their salaries, festival bonus, earned leave, or any gratuity from the company.
The office also failed to comply with the rules set by Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) regarding closure of its business in the country, they added.
Debenhams Bangladesh Employees Union (DBEU) President Bahauddin Mohammad Ataullah said: “The issue of office closures must be published in one of the most popular newspapers at least three months before the closure. A board resolution must be shown from the head office to close the liaison office. Due to non-compliance with all these legal procedures, Bangladeshi suppliers and vendors have now filed anonymous cases against the company. As a result, we are in a financial crisis as well as a social and legal crisis.
“The company ignored all rules of the existing regulatory body of the country, which is unacceptable. These acts of fraud must be investigated,” he added.
The organizers also claimed that the company resumed its business through third parties without paying any employees' dues and respecting their labour rights.
Such activities are in violation of international labour laws, speakers said at the program.
“I worked for about six and a half years, at a salary of more than Tk1 lakh each month. The company notified us about the closing of the office and gave me half of the salary in April. Since the office was open we went to the office but they did not allow us to enter. I could not bring my personal documents from the office computer and desk,” said Mehedi Hasan, senior merchandiser of the company.
“Covid-19 had an adverse economic impact on us. After losing this job without prior notice and not getting paid, my family had to suffer. I have to survive with my savings and loans from relatives,” he added.
Ghulam Murshed, trustee of Bangladesh Labor Institute (Bashi), said: “It is not desirable for a British company to disobey laws and regulations in conducting business in Bangladesh.”
He demanded that the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh and the regulatory bodies in Bangladesh take immediate action if there is any violation of law in this regard.