Workers from Dird Composite Textile Limited took to the streets in Gazipur on Friday, urging the management to settle their overdue wages, provident funds, service benefits, and maternity allowances for female employees.
Despite the protest occurring alongside the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, traffic remained unaffected. Over 200 workers participated in the morning demonstration, voicing their frustration over seven months of unpaid salaries and other financial entitlements.
Many of the protesting workers have been with the factory since 2006 or earlier, and they reported that some employees are owed between Taka 8 lakh and Taka 10 lakh. They have been struggling due to the non-payment of their salaries and dues for the past several months, despite repeated assurances from the management regarding payment.
Shafiul Alam, president of the Gazipur metropolitan chapter of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation, highlighted that Dird Composite Textile Limited had ceased operations a year ago. He expressed disappointment that, even after receiving a Taka 13 crore interest-free loan from the Government to address the workers’ overdue payments, the management has failed to distribute the funds adequately.
Alam stated, “This situation has caused significant discontent among the workforce. Even after the loan, workers and staff are still owed over Taka 14 crore. Our appeals to various authorities have not yielded results.”
The factory was permanently closed on 22nd November 2023, affecting approximately 8,000 workers. On 28th November, a tripartite agreement was signed to address the payment of wages and legal dues during the shutdown, but the agreement reduced the benefits under labor laws. According to Alam, the Taka 13 crore was intended to cover workers’ arrears, yet many still remain unpaid.
Concerns are rising that the workers’ protests may escalate if the situation is not resolved promptly. The authorities are closely monitoring developments and seeking a resolution through dialogue.
Dird Group’s Chief Financial Officer, Foyez Ahmed, responded to the situation, stating that Taka 8.65 crore has already been disbursed to workers and that it is not feasible to pay all outstanding amounts at once, but they are committed to ensuring that the remaining dues will be settled.
Sobimol Ghosh, a deputy manager at the factory, shared his personal struggles stemming from the unpaid wages, emphasizing the impact on his family’s finances and his children’s education. He called for the management to resolve the outstanding payments quickly.
Inspector Abdul Latif of the Gazipur Industrial Police confirmed that workers had gathered at the Rajendrapur intersection to demand their overdue salaries and benefits.
