As part of the ‘March to Jamuna’ program demanding payment of overdue wages and Eid bonuses, over a hundred workers from the garment manufacturing company TNZ Group confronted the police at Kakrail in the capital on Tuesday.
Around 2:30pm, the workers began their procession from in front of the National Labour Building and advanced toward the official residence of the chief adviser via Kakrail intersection. However, around 3:00pm, they were met with police resistance in front of the chief justice’s residence and started protesting on the spot.
At that time, the workers chanted slogans such as: “We demand wages, we demand bonuses—final settlement must be today”; “Where are the 14 months of sweat? TNZ must answer!”; “The sweat of hardworking people cannot go to waste”; “Where there are no wages, there is no peace!” and “We do not want mercy, we want our rightful dues.”
Earlier, since 9am, the workers had been protesting in front of the National Labour Building.
Meanwhile, due to the ongoing protest by workers in front of the Labour Building in Bijoynagar, officials and employees could not enter their offices on Tuesday. Workers from Style Craft and Youngone BD have been stationed at the main gate of the Labour Building since 9am on Tuesday.
Raju Ahmed, a labor leader from Style Craft, said: “Yesterday (Monday) we submitted a memorandum to the chief adviser’s office. But no effective steps have been taken yet. That’s why we’re not allowing anyone into the Labour Building today either.”
He said that a total of Tk20 crore 86 lakh in overdue wages and Eid bonuses is owed to 1,058 workers of TNZ Group. They will continue the movement until these dues are paid.
Labor leader Shahidul Islam said: “Before Eid-ul-Fitr during Ramadan, the Labor Secretary promised us Tk3 crore against our owed Tk17 crore. But in the end, only Tk2 crore 67 lakh was provided. This is deception against us.”
He added that Tuesday’s ‘March to Jamuna’ program is part of their final phase of protest to fulfill their demands. They will not back down unless their demands are met.
Regarding the workers’ protest, Md Masud Alam, deputy police commissioner (DC) of Ramna Division, DMP, told Bangla Tribune: “All kinds of protests and demonstrations have been banned around the chief adviser’s residence in Kakrail and its surrounding areas. However, we have no issue with their protest here as long as they remain peaceful. But if they try to create chaos or break through police barricades, they will be resisted.”
