On Tuesday, approximately 25,000 workers from 16 shuttered factories of the Beximco Group formed a human chain stretching 10 kilometers along the Nabinagar-Chandra highway, calling for the resumption of letter of credit (LC) facilities and the reopening of their workplaces.
The workers gathered on the Dhaka-bound lane, displaying banners to express their demands while ensuring that traffic flow on the highway remained uninterrupted. Their assembly began at the Beximco Industrial Park in Chakrobarti, Gazipur, where they organized themselves in a neat line along the highway.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment had ordered the closure of these 16 factories on 15th December of the previous year, jeopardizing the jobs of approximately 40,000 individuals. The factories were shut down due to a lack of orders and the company’s failure to manage outstanding bank loans.
Salman Fazlur Rahman, who previously served as an adviser to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, leads the organisation but is currently incarcerated on multiple charges.
In the past, workers had resorted to more disruptive protests, including blocking the Chandra-Nabinagar highway, to voice their demands. However, following an incident on 21st December where law enforcement used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators, the workers have opted for more peaceful forms of protest, such as this human chain initiative.
