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Agitated workers set fire to Nilphamari wig factory

Aftermath of a clash that took place at Evergreen Product Factory (BD) Ltd in Nilphamari’s Uttara EPZ on Saturday, June 27, 2020 Dhaka Tribune

Workers claimed that just a few months ago the factory had 17,000 workers, but now the number has dropped to 7,000 due to massive layoffs during the pandemic period

Wig factory workers of Evergreen Product Factory (BD) Ltd in Nilphamari Uttara EPZ, organized a protest on Saturday morning against the authority’s “long-time oppressive measures”.

During the three-hour protest, the workers set fire to five covered-vans, 10 motorcycles, several office computers, and various company documents, Enamul Haque, general manager of Uttara EPZ confirmed.

Three firefighting units from Uttara EPZ, Nilphamari and Saidpur responded to the scene and doused the fire around noon.

Being informed, Deputy Commissioner Hafizur Rahman Chowdhury, along with the additional superintendent of police arrived before the protesters and managed to calm the situation.

Factory workers brought up several allegations against the factory authority including hiring workers in violation of BEPZA rules by often replacing experienced employees with new recruits in order cut cost, deducting Tk1,000 from monthly salary for hand sanitizers and soap at the workplace, and not paying according to actual overtime hours.

A factory worker, wishing to remain anonymous, said, “These are long-standing problems. If you talk about these issues, you lose your job. But we had to take to the streets as the rate of layoffs increased during the time of Covid-19 pandemic.”

Workers further claimed that just a few months ago the factory had 17,000 workers, but now the number has dropped to 7,000 due to massive layoffs during the pandemic period.

When asked about the workers’ allegations, no official of the factory agreed to speak on the issue.

Additional Superintendent of Police ABM Atiqur Rahman said, “We did not do anything to provoke the protesting workers when they were expressing their grief but instead we spoke to them and tried our best to calm them down.”

Uttara EPZ General Manager Enamul Haque said: “I trust the issues will soon be resolved after sitting down with the factory authority.”

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