Workers of Crown Exclusive Wears garments factory in Sreepur, Gazipur, staged a protest by blocking a road in the area, demanding payment of overdue wages, permission to carry mobile phones inside the factory, an end to unjustified layoffs, and protesting against the alleged misbehaviour of administrative and production officials.
The demonstration took place on Tuesday from 9am to 1pm, during which workers obstructed the Maona-Kaliakair road by setting fire to tree branches.
As a result, severe traffic congestion occurred on both sides of the road, causing immense suffering for drivers, passengers, nearby factory officials, students commuting to schools and colleges, and pedestrians.
The protest ended at around 1:15pm after factory authorities agreed to meet several of the workers’ demands, restoring normal traffic flow.
According to the protesting workers, they have been demanding the payment of overdue wages, earned leave allowances from the past two years, tiffin bills, attendance bonuses, and permission to carry mobile phones inside the factory.
They have also been protesting against worker layoffs and the misbehaviour of administrative and production officials for a long time.
Factory workers, including linking operators Rafiqul Islam and Jobayer Hossain and sewing operators Sultana Akter and Jayeda Khatun, alleged that the authorities frequently mistreat workers, issue layoff threats without reason, and show disregard for their demands.
They claimed that whenever they raise legitimate concerns, they face abusive behaviour from production officials, particularly sewing in-charge Kaiyum and linking in-charge Ferdous.
The workers demanded the removal of these two officials.
"The wages we receive are inadequate to support our families, especially considering the current cost of living. Without timely payment of salaries and other benefits, our lives become extremely difficult," said one of the protesting workers.
Abdul Latif, in charge of Gazipur Industrial Police (Sreepur Zone), said: "Workers were protesting by blocking the Maona-Kaliakair road over various demands. We mediated discussions between worker representatives and factory authorities, and after some demands were met, the workers withdrew from the protest, allowing traffic to resume."
Sreepur police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Zainal Abedin Mondal said: "Upon receiving the news, we arrived at the scene along with industrial police and facilitated discussions between the workers and factory owners. However, no decision has been made regarding the permission to use mobile phones in the factory or the removal of the two in-charge officials."
Factory officials of Crown Exclusive Wears refused to comment on the matter to the media.
