Readymade garment workers in Ashulia staged a major protest on Tuesday, August 14, over unpaid wages, blocking the Baipail–Abdullahpur road for more than three hours. The demonstration prompted 15 nearby factories to declare a general holiday amid security concerns.
The unrest erupted when workers arrived at Nassa Group’s factory, expecting operations to resume after a four-day closure from August 10 to 13 due to unpaid salaries. Instead, they were met with a new notice announcing an extended closure, sparking anger among employees.
The protest began around 7:30am in Narsinghpur, with workers demanding payment of their July wages. One worker, speaking anonymously, said, “We need our wages to survive. When the factory announced another closure without paying salaries, everyone felt compelled to block the road.”
Tensions escalated as some demonstrators attempted to rally employees from neighboring factories to join the protest.
Nassa Group Executive Director Naimul Islam Naiem explained, “LCs are closed, accounts frozen, and despite management’s efforts, July salaries could not be disbursed. Payments are now scheduled for August 19.”
During the demonstration, a security room outside Ananta Garments Limited was set on fire, destroying CCTV equipment, a television, a computer, and important documents. Inamul Haq Khan, Managing Director of Ananta Garments, said that since operations inside the factory were unaffected, workers initially refused to leave the premises.
