Workers of TNZ garment factory have withdrawn their blockade on Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway after the authorities assured them of paying their overdue wages by November 30. The decision to lift the blockade was taken at 10:30pm on Monday after a tripartite meeting among factory owners, worker representatives and Secretary to the Ministry of Labour AHM Safiquzzaman, said Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ershad Mia on Tuesday morning. The meeting decided to pay the first installment of the workers' outstanding wages by Sunday next, with the remaining amount to be settled by November 30. The government will provide a total of Tk 16 crore as a loan to TNZ Apparels. Of this amount, Tk 6 crore will come from the central fund and will be used to pay the first installment of wages. Read more: RMG workers block Dhaka-M’sing highway demand dues The remaining Tk 10 crore will be provided by the Ministry of Finance, which will cover the remaining dues. The factory owners will later repay this amount to the government. Moreover, the workers will be paid regular salary from the factory’s own income from December. After the meeting, the workers accepted the decision and withdrew the blockade allowing traffic to resturn to normal.

Gridlock was formed as vehicular movement on Dhaka-Tangail highway remained suspended for over an hour due to workers of garment factories demonstrating in Gazipur’s Konabari area, demanding payment of salaries as per the wages set by the government. Mohammad Ziaul Islam, officer-in-charge of Konabari Police Station, said workers of garment factories in the Konabari area took to the street around 8 am to press home their six-point demand including payment of salary as per the government-announced wage structure. Read: Focus on value addition in RMG industry needed more to enhance global competitiveness: BGMEA President  The other demands include an eight-hour workday instead of ten hours. A long tailback has been created on both sides of the Dhaka-Tangail highway following the demonstration. However, vehicular movement normalised as police drove the demonstrating workers away from the highway after assuring them of taking steps regarding their demands. Read: Despite anticipated challenges in 2024, int’l market demand for RMG products could rise: BGMEA Director  

A female garment worker was killed and ten were injured in a clash between police and RMG workers at Konabari in Gazipur on Wednesday (November 08, 2023). The deceased was identified as Anjuara Khatun, 30, wife of Jamal Hossain of Sirajganj district. Witnesses said workers of garment factories took to the streets in the morning in Konabari, demanding Tk 23,000 as the minimum salary. Garment factories reopen in Gazipur, several hurt in clash with police On information, police fired rubber bullets, sound grenades and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse them, triggering a clash that left eleven people injured. The agitating garment workers claimed that Anjuara died on the way to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. Police use tear gas shells as RMG workers protest in Gazipur Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, deputy commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said a female garment worker — injured in the clash — was sent to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. Garment workers have been demonstrating, demanding to increase their basic salary to Tk 23,000, for several days across the country. The government of Bangladesh on Tuesday fixed Tk 12,500 as minimum salary for entry-level RMG workers. BGB deployed to beef up security for garment factories in Dhaka, Gazipur

At least six workers of a garment factory were dead and eight others were injured when a speeding bus ran them over while they were waiting to board another bus on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Trishal upazila, under Mymensingh district, today (October 11, 2023). Four of the deceased were identified as Jesmine Akter, 35; Sirajul Islam, 40; Sohel Mia, 28; and Liton Mia, 30, of Sadar upazila while the identities of two others could not be known immediately. Quoting locals, Main Uddin, officer-in-charge of Trishal Police Station, said a Dhaka-bound bus of ‘SS Travellers’ from Sherpur made a sudden stop at Chelerghat around 7:30 am today, as one of its tyres got punctured. Read: Man, grandson drown in Mymensingh pond Passengers of the bus got off and were waiting on the highway for another bus. Around 8 am, a bus arrived at the spot, and they tried to board it. At this time, another bus, speeding on the highway, hit the people standing on the road -- leaving three dead on the spot and 11 injured. Read: Mother, minor daughter found hanging in Mymensingh house Of the injured, three died on the way to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway remained halted for some time after the accident. Read: Lightning kills 2 students in Mymensingh

At least 10 people were injured when a clash broke out between ready-made garments (RMG) workers and law enforcers in Ashulia area of Savar upazila on Tuesday (May 23, 2023) as the workers blocked Baipail-Abdullahpur highway, police said. According to the workers, the authority of Fashion Forum Limited Garment declared the garment closed indefinitely as they went on a strike and stopped working from Monday on various demands. Read more: Bangladesh-Australia have huge opportunities to expand trade: BGMEA President  Observing the notice put at the gate last night, the workers started to block the Baipail-Abdullahpur highway and police intercepted them. Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Kamruzzaman confirmed the matter and said that additional police have been deployed in front of the factory to avoid any untoward incident. Read more: Dip in US market fails to dent apparel sector's growth momentum.

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has directed keeping the scheduled banks open on April 19-21 (Wednesday to Friday) to facilitate payment of garment workers' salary, Eid bonus and allowances. The central bank has asked the banks to keep open the branches before Eid-ul-Fitr in the industrial areas including Dhaka metropolitan, Ashulia, Tongi, Gazipur, Savar, Bhaluka, and the industry related branches of banks located in Narayanganj and Chittagong ensuring adequate security. Read more: Gazette published fixing Tk 8,000 as minimum wage for RMG workers The Department of Off-site Supervision of Bangladesh Bank on Monday issued a circular in this regard

RMG workers set a truck on fire and vandalised several other vehicles, blocking Dhaka-Tangail highway following a coworker’s death in a road accident on the highway in Kaliakoir of Gazipur this morning. Atikur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Salna Highway Police Station, said a worker died as a bus hit him while crossing the highway in Hartakitola area this morning. Read more: RMG workers set fire to 4 buses over rumour in Gazipur The deceased was identified as Azadul Haque, 40, of Gaibandha. He used to work as a security guard at a denim factory in Chandra area. Agitated by the incident, RMG workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway, vandalised vehicles on both sides of the highway, and set a truck on fire, said the OC. Read more: RMG workers stage demo for arrears in Gazipur; 10 hurt in clash with cops Later, police brought the situation under control, he added.

Readymade Garment (RMG) workers set fire to four buses and vandalised several others following a rumour over the death of one of their fellows on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway on Tuesday evening. Witnesses said a speeding bus of ‘Anabil Paribahan’ hit an elderly woman and her grandson while they were crossing the highway in Chhaydhan area around 6.45pm, leaving them injured. Read more: RMG workers stage demo in N’ganj over layoffs, dues A rumour was spread in the area that an RMG worker died after being hit by the bus. Enraged by the news, the workers set fire to four buses and vandalised several others resulting in long gridlocks on both sides of the highway. Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy director at Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defence department, said on information two firefighting units rushed to the spot and tamed the flame. Read more: RMG workers stage demo for arrears in Gazipur; 10 hurt in clash with cops Md Alamgir Hossain, deputy commissioner (Traffic) of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said the injured were admitted to a hospital and undergoing treatment there.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a Switzerland-based international organisation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to provide better nutrition to the apparel sector workers. The two sides intended to improve the health status of the country’s RMG workers, which will have a positive impact on the lives of the workers in Bangladesh, according to a press release. Faruque Hassan, President of BGMEA, and Dr. Rudaba Khondker, Country Director of GAIN, signed the MoU at the BGMEA office on behalf of their respective sides, it said. Read more: BGMEA, GarmentTechBD to collaborate in improving supply chain management skills Mohammad Monower Hossain, joint secretary of BGMEA, Moniruzzaman Bipul, Portfolio Lead, Drivers of Food Systems Change, GAIN, G.M. Reza Sumon, Project Manager, GAIN, and others were present on the occasion. Under the MoU, there will be collaboration to create an enabling environment for ensuring the proper nutrition of the RMG workers in the future, it said. The two sides will provide technical guidance to strengthen the institutional capacity of the National WFN Alliance for scaling up nutrition activities for workers’ well-being. Read more: BGMEA, GarmentTechBD to collaborate in improving supply chain management skills Also, they will make collective approaches and mechanisms to improve workers' access to affordable, nutritious and safe food by establishing a Fair Price Shop (FPS) at factory premises, the press release added.

Workers of a garment factory at Fatullah in Narayanganj staged a protest on Tuesday morning against the retrenchment of workers without notice and demanding payment of two months’ arrears. The workers of Prime Textile Limited started demonstration in Nandalalpur area of Sadar Upazila Tuesday morning. Read more: RMG workers stage demo for arrears in Gazipur; 10 hurt in clash with cops The agitating workers claimed that the owner laid off 360 workers last month without giving any prior notice.  They announced that  another 650 employees  will also be retrenched. They said that they found a factory closure notice on the gate in the morning and started the protest.  Read more: RMG workers block road for dues in Chattogram The industrial police reached the area and spoke with the owners upon receiving the information. Demanding immediate payment of all arrears, they threatened to go for a tougher movement if their demands are not met.