Workers from two factories in Gazipur -- Taratex Fashion Ltd and Niagara Textile Ltd -- went on an indefinite strike today demanding their unpaid wages.
More than 2,000 workers from Taratex Fashion went on strike in the Auchpara area of Tongi. They entered the factory at 8:00am today but they halted production, demanding their salaries for September.
The workers have refused to resume work until their demands are met. One of the workers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "October is almost over, and we still haven't received our September wages. The factory owner needs to understand that we can't pay our rent."
The worker further added that rising prices have made daily necessities unaffordable, saying, "It now costs Tk 400 just to buy three vegetables."
Efforts to contact Abul Hossain Majumder, the owner of Taratex Fashion, were unsuccessful.
Gazipur Industrial Police Inspector (Tongi Zone) Saiful Alam confirmed to The Daily Star that the workers are peacefully holding their protest inside the factory.
Labor unrest has also erupted at Niagara Textile, located in the Chandra area of Kaliakair, Gazipur. The factory, which reopened yesterday after an indefinite shutdown, saw workers refusing to resume work due to unpaid wages, according to the industrial police.
Workers gathered in front of the factory around 8:00am today, demanding four months' worth of unpaid salaries.
Industrial Police Sub-Inspector Sofiq Miah said the workers plan to take their complaints to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
Attempts to reach the management of Niagara Textile for their comments were also unsuccessful.
