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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Culture & Society

Hundreds of Workers Block Road in Bangladesh Demanding Unpaid Wages

From Daily Star · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Several hundred workers from NASSA Group blocked Tejgaon Link Road in Bangladesh, demanding unpaid salaries and bonuses.
  • The demonstration, which began around 10:00 am, caused severe traffic disruptions in the surrounding areas.
  • Police were deployed to the scene and are attempting to persuade the workers to clear the road, while NASSA Group has not yet commented.

A significant disruption unfolded in Dhaka's Tejgaon Industrial Area as hundreds of workers from the NASSA Group staged a protest, bringing traffic to a standstill. The demonstration, which commenced around 10:00 am, centered on demands for unpaid salaries and bonuses, highlighting ongoing labor issues within the ready-made garment (RMG) sector.

Several hundred workers from NASSA Group had been blocking the road and demonstrating since around 10:00 am.

— Mohammad Mahbubur RahmanOfficer-in-charge of Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station, describing the start of the protest.

The workers' sit-in protest near the Bottola crossing effectively halted vehicular movement, causing considerable traffic jams in the vicinity. This action underscores the frustration and desperation felt by employees when their rightful wages and benefits are withheld. The immediate impact was felt by commuters and businesses alike, as a key artery in the industrial zone became impassable.

Authorities, including Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station and Traffic Gulshan Division, were promptly deployed to manage the situation. Their primary objective was to de-escalate the protest and restore normal traffic flow. Efforts were underway to persuade the demonstrating workers to clear the road, a delicate task that requires balancing public order with the workers' right to protest grievances.

As a result, traffic movement in the area has come to a halt. We are trying to persuade them to clear the road.

— Mohammad Mahbubur RahmanExplaining the impact of the demonstration and police actions.

As of the report's filing, NASSA Group had not provided any comment regarding the workers' allegations. This silence from the management leaves the situation unresolved and the workers' demands unaddressed publicly by the company. Such situations are unfortunately not uncommon in the RMG sector, where labor disputes over wages and working conditions frequently arise. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the persistent challenges faced by garment workers in ensuring fair compensation and timely payments, issues that continue to be a focal point for labor rights advocates in Bangladesh.

The demonstration began near the Bottola crossing, where an estimated 200 to 250 RMG workers gathered and staged a sit-in.

— Traffic Gulshan DivisionProviding details on the location and scale of the protest.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Daily Star in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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