Workers of Roar Fashion, a Bhaluka-based readymade garments factory having its office in Dhaka’s Uttara, picketed in front of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) building in the Uttara area on Monday protesting for salary and allowance. The BGMEA authorities could not operate their offices at the building as a result of the picketing, suspending its usual operation. The same continued till 5 PM.
According to former BGMEA leaders, officials, and police sources, around 200 workers of Roar Fashion protested in front of the BGMEA building on Sunday, calling for their wages and compensation. The protesters camped overnight at the location, and with the assistance of police, BGMEA officials were able to exit the building. But on Monday morning, the workers closed all the gates of the building, refusing to let any officials in, effectively grinding BGMEA’s operations to a halt. Despite the ongoing protest, no progress has been made in releasing the payment to the Roar Fashion workers.
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A BGMEA official, who wished to remain anonymous, told Prothom Alo, “I went to the office in the morning and was told that workers were not letting anyone enter the BGMEA building. So I did not go to the office. Many who went to enter could not.” An Industrial Police sub-inspector in Mymensingh stated that Roar Fashion Ltd. has been experiencing financial trouble since the latest political transition in Bangladesh. This led to irregular wage payment to the workers, and they resorted to a series of highway blockades seeking payment of their arrears. The factory management declared a layoff on January 24 on the basis of no work. Workers complain that they received BDT 7 million arrears for November and December but are yet to receive their January wages and layoff compensation. Roar Fashion Ltd. at Kathali, Bhaluka, commenced operation in 2017 and employs 1,376 workers. Factory Managing Director Mamunul Islam is also missing during the crisis.
Making a statement on the issue, Mohammad Rahat Khan, Officer-in-Charge of Turag Police Station, said, “Workers of Roar Fashion have been protesting in front of the BGMEA building since yesterday. Police are stationed there. Since the owner of the factory is absconding, no meeting has taken place so far on the payment of the workers. We have heard that a high-level government meeting on the issue is going to take place.”
