Workers of Generation Next Fashion Limited, a garment manufacturing factory, blocked the Nabinagar-Chandra highway in Ashulia on Tuesday (22 October), demanding unpaid wages.
The protest, which began early in the morning at the Baipail intersection, has caused significant traffic congestion in the surrounding areas, affecting passengers and drivers on this route.
Previously, on Monday at 10am, the workers initiated a blockade that continued throughout the day.
The aggrieved workers stated that the factory authorities have not paid their salaries and allowances for the last three months. The factory was abruptly closed without settling wages, despite repeated promises from the management. According to the workers, the staff also remain unpaid for several months.
One worker, Saiful Islam, expressed his distress: "For the past three months, my family has been enduring extreme hardship. I can hardly afford food due to unpaid rent and mounting debts at local shops. Finding a new job has also been difficult."
He added that the factory management shut down operations two months ago, leaving one month of salary unpaid at the time. Currently, they are owed three months' worth of wages.
Despite reassurances from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Ministry of Labour last month, no payment has been made.
"We are here on the highway as a last resort, and we will continue the blockade until we receive our due wages," Saiful stated.
Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abu Bakar Siddique said, "The workers have once again blocked the highway since this morning. We are attempting to negotiate with them to clear the road."
Superintendent of Police (Industrial Police-1) Sarwar Alam mentioned that discussions regarding the situation at Generation Next Fashion Limited are ongoing.
Meanwhile, an unnamed source close to the factory revealed that the factory's chairman, Touhidul Islam, is currently absconding, while the managing director, Rajiv Shetty, an Indian national, has returned to his home country. As a result, the issue remains unresolved.
The factory employs approximately 4,000 workers, with wage arrears amounting to around Tk13-14 crore.
A factory representative commented that if financial support, either from the government or through a bank loan, is provided, the factory could potentially resume operations.
