Amidst media reports that workers’ retrenchment has already started in the garment manufacturing sector, workers from some factories in Dhaka have started hitting the streets to express their resentment already.
Workers from Trust Knitwear Industries Ltd., Stylist and New West Fashions Limited in Gazipur area of capital Dhaka reportedly blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway on Sunday in an effort to put pressure on the owners to clear their dues.
The disgruntled workers took to the streets after they came to know that many of their colleagues have been suspended without any salary.
“At one point they blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway but later left the streets after the owners promised to pay their wages,” claimed Additional Superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police, Md. Jalaluddin, speaking to the media.
Meanwhile, as per another media report, workers from around 11 readymade garment units in Savar also took to the streets on Sunday.
It may be mentioned here that following the COVID-19 outbreak in the country and the subsequent countrywide shutdown put in place till 25 April to arrest further spread of the contagion, the Government has announced a Taka 50 billion Coronavirus bailout package for all export-oriented sectors to pay the workers’ wages.
