Jute mill workers have staged demonstrations demanding their outstanding wages in Dhaka and Khulna.
In Demra, the workers of Latif Bawnia Jute Mills took position on the streets around 7:00am, halting traffic movement.
They also vandalised vehicles. Besides, they cut trees and electric poles and put up those on the road, according to local media reports.
Police officials removed the debris from the road with the help of locals in the afternoon.
Dhaka-Chattogram highway witnessed a huge gridlock as hundreds of jute mill workers wielding sticks have taken to the streets at the Jatrabari intersection since 8:30am.
They say they have been forced to take to the streets as authorities of Latif Bawani Jute Mills and Karim Jute Mills have not been paying their wages for eight weeks leaving them to live a miserable life.
Meanwhile, UNB reports, a strike, enforced by workers of nine jute mills in Khulna region, is underway demanding payment of their dues.
Production of the jute mills remains suspended.
The workers will also observe a road blockade programme from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm this day, said Md Murad Hossain, convener of Jute Mill Workers League of Khulna-Jashore region.
The workers of Platinum Jute Mill halted production around 6:00 pm on Sunday and then workers of other jute mills in Khulna and Jashore suspended their production.
Workers’ wages of 11 weeks and other employees’ salary of four months remained unpaid.
Earlier, it was decided in a meeting with the Ministry of Jute and Textiles and Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation that the outstanding wages of the workers will be paid within April 25. But the promise was not fulfilled.
In Khulna region, on April 2, workers of the state-owned jute mills observed a 72-hour strike to press home their nine-point demand.