Approximately 700 workers of Basundhara Garments Limited in the Hemayetpur area staged a five-hour protest, blocking the regional Hemayetpur-Singair road to demand their unpaid wages and Eid bonus.
The protest was sparked after the factory authorities failed to pay the workers their dues. According to witnesses, the workers began their demonstration around 3:00 pm by blocking the road, halting traffic in both directions. The workers expressed frustration over the factory’s recent notice, which announced a layoff from 18th to 31st May, and the delay in paying wages for April, which was scheduled for 25th May.
When workers arrived at the factory to collect their salaries, they found no officials or owners present. The protesting workers demanded not only their unpaid wages for April but also half of their current month’s salary and their Eid bonuses before the upcoming festival.
Nazrul Islam, Organising Secretary of the Bangladesh Garments Workers Oikya Federation, noted that the factory employs over 800 workers, many of whom have yet to receive their April salaries. The workers also criticised the factory owner for declaring a layoff without prior notice.
Later in the evening, around 8:00 pm, the workers dispersed after being assured that their dues would be settled on 29th May in the presence of representatives from the army, police, and labour leaders.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions in the garment sector over wages and layoffs, with workers demanding timely payments and fair treatment ahead of Eid.
