Workers of Dird Composite Textile Limited held a protest in Gazipur on Friday for the payment of overdue salaries, provident funds, service benefits, and maternity allowances for female workers.
However, as the protest took place on one side of the highway, traffic on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway remained normal.
Over 200 affected workers staged the protest in the morning, demanding payment of their seven months of overdue salaries and other arrears.
The affected workers claimed that many of their colleagues had been employed at the factory since 2006 or earlier. They reported not receiving their overdue salaries, provident funds, or service benefits for the past seven months.
Some workers were allegedly owed amounts ranging from Tk8 lakh to Tk10 lakh by the factory management. They said the management had withheld their salaries and other dues for seven months, forcing them to live in hardship.
Despite repeated promises from the authorities, the salaries have not been paid, prompting the workers to demand immediate payment of their arrears.
Shafiul Alam, president of the Gazipur metropolitan chapter of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation, said: "A year ago, Dird Composite Textile Limited shut down its factory. The management has yet to pay the workers’ overdue salaries, service benefits, provident funds, or the maternity allowances for female workers.”
He added: “To settle the arrears, the government has already provided the factory with an interest-free loan of Tk13 crore. It is unfortunate that even a month after receiving the loan, the management has not distributed the money to all workers and staff.
“This has created discontent among the workers. Even after paying the Tk13 crore, workers and staff will still be owed over Tk14 crore. Appeals to various government and non-government offices have not resolved the issue."
He also added: "On November 22, 2023, the factory was permanently closed by the management. Until its closure, approximately 8,000 workers and staff were employed there.”
“Regarding the payment of salaries for the working period and legal dues for the shutdown period, a tripartite agreement was signed on November 28, 2023, which reduced the benefits provided under labour laws, As per the agreement, the Tk13 crore was to be used to pay workers’ arrears. However, even after this payment, workers will still be owed Tk14 crore," said Shafiul.
There are concerns that the movement may escalate further. The authorities are monitoring the situation and have called for a resolution through discussions.
The management has cited financial difficulties as the reason for the delay in payments and has assured that efforts are underway to resolve the issue quickly.
Sobimol Ghosh, deputy manager of the Mechanical Section, said: "I joined Dird Composite Limited in 2011. Due to the unpaid salaries, my family and I are living in extreme hardship. Provident fund and service benefit payments are also overdue. My children’s education is at risk of being discontinued.”
He added: “With the high prices of daily necessities, it has become challenging to manage regular expenses. I urge the management to settle our dues promptly. Moreover, the factory dismissed us from our jobs without any prior notice.”
“We have heard that the government provided a Tk13 crore loan to settle our dues. We are protesting to demand immediate payment of our outstanding salaries and dues," he said.
Inspector Abdul Latif of the Gazipur Industrial Police said workers of Dird Composite Textile Limited staged a protest at the Rajendrapur intersection on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, demanding payment of their arrears.
Dird Group Chief Financial Officer Foyez Ahmed said: "We have already paid Tk8.65 crore to the workers. It is not possible to pay all the dues at once. The remaining amounts will be paid."
