GAZIPUR: The workers of two garment factories in Gazipur Tuesday ran riot ransacking a security booth and halting traffic on the busy Dhaka-Mymensingh highway to press for regular payment of salary and attendance bonus.

Witnesses said the angry workers came out of the factories, demonstrated outside and put barricades on the highway nearby.

The workers did not return to work till 2 p.m.  
Police at Hotapara outpost said the workers of a garment factory of Hotapara started agitation at 9 in the morning demanding payment of wages and other benefits between the 7th and 12th of every month.

They also damaged the room of security personnel of the factory at the main gate.  

At one stage, the unruly demonstrators barricaded the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, disrupting traffic movement for about half an hour.

“Chase and counter-chase took place between police and the workers. Police later charged baton to quell the unrest,” says a spot report.

Police said the workers of Pandora Fashion sweater factory of Gazipur Sadar upazila went on work stoppage at 8:30 am. They demanded attendance bonus raised to Tk 300 from 270.

The authorities sat in a meeting with the agitating workers at 9 am, but the discussion ended inconclusive.

BDST/ 1332/ July 13, 2010