Workers unrest: Production shuts at 10 RMG, 20 pharma units

Amid workers’ demonstrations for better pay, regularisation, and two-day weekend, production at some 10 garment and 20 pharmaceutical factories stopped on the outskirts of the capital on Saturday and yesterday.
The demonstrations took place in Savar, Ashulia, Dhamrai and Gazipur.      
If the workers continue the strike, there will be a long-term impact on the industry, said M Mohibuz Zaman, managing director at ACI Healthcare.
“The unrest at pharmaceutical units suddenly began 10 days ago. I suspect there is a conspiracy,” he told The Daily Star.
The management talked to the workers and promised to grant what they want in phases, he said, adding that raising the salary would be possible now, but complying with the other demands would take time.
But the workers are not getting back to work, disrupting the supply chain, he added.
Mahbubul Karim, executive director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals, said, “We did not open our factory to avoid an untoward incident amid the protests.”
He added that several discussions between the management and the workers yielded no result because the workers want their demands met by 24 hours.
Zahangir Alam, chief financial officer at Square Pharmaceuticals, said production units of the company had been closed since Saturday as the “workers do not listen to requests”.
He added that the demands that are logical would be met.
Square Pharmaceuticals employs 1,000 casual and 6,000 regular workers, he said.
A team of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries led by its president Abdul Muktadir met the advisers of home affairs, industries, and health and sought their cooperation to solve the crisis.
A top official of Popular Pharmaceuticals said his company had promised to regularise all of its 300 casual workers.
He added that the sudden demand for raises and perks was an indication that a quarter had instigated the workers who seemed to be content before.
Workers of a shoe, a ceramic, and a several garment factories demonstrated in Savar and Gazipur, blocking highways yesterday.
The authorities closed at least 10 garment factories in Ashulia and Savar.
Workers of GAB Limited, Snowtex, Starling Group Apparel, NASA Apparels, and Acme Agrovet & Consumers Ltd blocked the Nabinagar-Chandra highway and began demonstrating around 9:00am, said Mohammad Sarwar Alam, superintendent of Ashulia Industrial Police. 
Some of the protesters said they wanted bonuses, lunch allowance, and an end to termination of workers.
Several workers of GAB Limited said authorities closed the factory without saying whether the demands would be met.
“We will continue the protests unless they comply with the demands,” said one of them, requesting anonymity.
In Gazipur, long tailbacks formed as workers blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway at three places. The highway was blocked for two hours in the morning.
The workers of Bata shoes blocked the road in the Station Road area, People’s Ceramics in Targachh, and Anant Casual Limited in Chandana.
The workers demanded regularisation, better pay, and medical allowance.