Workers of a readymade garment factory in Gazipur鈥檚 Baghia area of Konabari on Tuesday blocked a local road protesting at the sudden closure of the factory.
According to the workers of Honeywell Garments, when they arrived at the factory gate on Tuesday morning, they found a closure notice, which triggered anger among them.
They blocked a nearby road stretching from Mitali Club to Konabari New Market for several hours.
The factory management said that they had no choice but to cease operations due to the 鈥榠rrational and unlawful agitation鈥� of the workers that inflicted damage on the factory.
The management alleged that the workers had raised unjustified demands and unlawfully halted production on Monday, creating chaos and an unstable environment, which compelled them to close the factory.
Police, striking workers, and locals said that Honeywell Garments workers had been demanding timely payment of wages and allowances by the 10th of every month.
As part of the protests, they abstained from work on Monday, shutting down production and staging daylong demonstrations.
Tension escalated when rumours spread that a few workers might be laid off for 鈥榠nstigating unrest鈥�, and the enraged workers then demanded the removal of several factory officials.
As fear of wider unrest grew, the management declared the factory closed for indefinite period, citing disruptions, an unlawful work stoppage, and instability, under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act.
When workers saw the closure notice on Tuesday morning, they erupted in protest and took to the streets.
Police later arrived and attempted to ease tensions, assuring discussions between workers and the factory management. Then the workers left the road, and normalcy returned to the area in the afternoon.
The closure notice stated that the authorities would reopen factories when a favourable environment was restored.
Gazipur Industrial Police-2 (Konabari Zone) inspector Morshed Zaman said they mediated between workers and the management to resolve the issue.
Adequate police have been deployed in front of the factory to prevent any further deterioration of the situation, he added.
