The workers of JMI Industrial Park have blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Gazaria of Munshiganj for their 21-point demand. Some of the officials of the institution came under fire to calm down the agitators. As a result of the labor movement, heavy traffic has been created due to the suspension of traffic on the highway.
On Wednesday (October 16) at 8 am, thousands of workers of the company started a protest by blocking the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in front of the company. At that time, when some officials from the company tried to calm the agitators, the workers chased them.
On receiving the information, the police reached the spot and tried to pacify the workers, but it was not possible immediately.
It is known that there is dissatisfaction among the workers working in JMI Industrial Park due to various reasons. Among them, on October 10, the situation became more heated due to the negligence of the company’s authorities in the death of a worker.
The workers complained that the factory was kept open despite the announcement of government shutdown on that day and when one worker fell ill, he was not given leave and treated badly. After a long time passed, he was left on the floor without being taken to the hospital. The worker died without treatment in his sick condition. Since then they were preparing for the movement.
The agitating worker Swapan Mia said, ‘The way the company authorities treat us is inhumane. They do not care about any government regulations. Workers are forced to work overtime. If you are sick, you are not allowed to go to the hospital. Compelled by various reasons, we have entered the field with 21-point demands.
Deepak Sarkar, another activist, said, ‘Our work is specified. Salary is deducted if certain amount of work is not done within the stipulated time. We don’t get holidays even during public holidays and Eid. We don’t know if any other company has such inhuman rules. Today, we are forced to go down the road due to long-term accumulated anger.’
Agitator Lipi Akhtar said, ‘We are not allowed to go to the washroom after lunch hour. We cannot talk even for a minute at home during office hours due to urgent need. Workers are discriminated against in various aspects including promotion, salary increase. All in all, today’s movement.’
Ghazaria police station officer in charge (OC) Md. Mahbubur Rahman said, ‘After receiving the news, we rushed. We are trying to calm the situation by talking to both the owners and workers. Demanding the workers to move off the highway, I assured them that if necessary, I would talk to the owners on their behalf and try to get their fair demands met. But they are not listening to me.’
When contacted, the manager of the company, Masum Mia, said, ‘I am not in a position to speak at the moment. Several officials from our side were beaten up while talking to the workers. We are trying to defuse the situation.’
Ghazaria Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Kohinur Akhtar went to the spot at 9:30 am. He requested the agitating workers to move away from the highway. He assured that their just demands would be met.
The highway was blocked for a long time causing severe traffic jams. According to the highway police sources, around 10 km of traffic jam has been created on the Bazaria section of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway due to the workers’ blockade.
