More than a hundred garment workers in Narayanganj staged a hunger strike on 7th October, demanding three months of unpaid wages. The protest, held in front of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) office, lasted from 12-2pm and called for the implementation of an 18-point agreement, including wage clearance.
Workers from factories such as Nemcon Design and Abanti Colour Tex alleged that their wages have been unpaid since July. Mahbubur Rahman Ismail, president of the Bangladesh Textile Garments Workers’ Federation, criticized the factory owners for not addressing the issue despite repeated complaints and promises. He noted that workers are living in difficult conditions, facing threats instead of action.
Ismail held the BKMEA leaders responsible for the situation and warned that workers would escalate their protests if the wages were not paid soon. In response, BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem dismissed the allegations, attributing the wage delays to earlier protests, flooding, and a lack of bank support, which disrupted factory operations. He assured that at least two months’ worth of wages would be cleared within the month.
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