Narayanganj City Corporation sanitation workers held a protest on Tuesday to press home their six-point demand.
As part of the protest they threw dirt at the main gate of the city corporation and NCC vehicles, reports UNB.
NCC Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy came out of her office and tried to calm them down, but the protesters started making a commotion in front of her.
Prior to this, the workers took positions in front of the NCC premises in the morning to voice their demands.
“The salary has been increased to Tk8,000 and the house rent will be Tk5,000. There is no problem in agitating against me, but blocking, shouting slogans, how dare you show the courage to throw dirt? What kind of behaviour is this?” Ivy asked the protestors.
Hearing the mayor's words, the protesters started shouting at her.
Kishore Lal, general secretary of the NCC Workers' Union, said there are at least 1,240 sanitation workers in the area who do not have an appointment letter. “Does anyone's family run with a salary of only Tk1,500-Tk2,000?”
Mayor Ivy told reporters: “In a planned manner, they have shown such audacity at the instigation of a group. Their (workers') salaries have increased. It is awaiting implementation due to the financial crisis. I know very well who is behind their behaviour.”
Earlier, on Monday afternoon, the activists formed a human chain in front of the Narayanganj Press Club to press home their six-point demand.
NCC Workers' Union also submitted a memorandum to the prime minister in favour of their demands, including an increase in the salary and allowances of the employees.
The demands include the issuance of appointment letters to the workers under the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006, employment of all sanitation workers working in Narayanganj City Corporation, minimum daily attendance of Tk650 for employees and Tk750 for truck workers, payment of Eid or Puja bonuses equivalent to each worker's salary, and if a worker is killed in an accident while cleaning the NCC area, he or she should be given Tk100,000 in compensation; if they die of natural causes, they should be given Tk50,000 instead of the previous allocation of Tk5,000 for burial.
