A ready-made garment (RMG) worker from Gazipur died at the factory he works for on Monday — after he was denied sick leave multiple times.
The deceased has been identified as Jahidul Islam, 27, from Kurigram district.
According to his colleagues, Jahidul was ill for the last four or five days and asked the Golden Refit Garments Ltd authorities for leave.
His requests were, however, denied several times by the line-in-chief of the factory Kamrul Islam.
According to another worker at the factory, Jahidul was told no workers would be granted leave before Eid.
The factory's Human Resources (HR) Manager Arifur Rahman Rahat said Jahidul joined work on Monday, and asked for leave again, as he fell sick. Later in the afternoon, he collapsed unconscious on the floor.
Jahidul was rushed to the factory's medical centre, where the on-duty doctor advised him to be taken to a hospital.
“The factory authorities sent Jahidul to Mauna Alhera Hospital in the district, where doctors pronounced him dead,” he added.
Dr Alim Biswas, one of the doctors present at the emergency department, said: “Jahidul had died before he was brought to the hospital.”
Meanwhile, on hearing the news of Jahidul’s death, his colleagues protested outside the factory and attempted to take position on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway.
However, Gazipur Industrial Police Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Monaye Hossain said they managed to move the workers from the highway by promising payments for Jahid’s burial.