Workers woes never in Bangladesh and the latest in the list is the firing of 152 workers by the authorities of Dacca Dyeing Garments, a concern of Palmal Group recently as tried to form a trade union in the factory. However, the allegation was denied by factory authorities who stated that they terminated some extra workers as the factory’s export orders had declined in recent months.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) officials, more than 100 officials of the Palmal group along with police and the officials of factory inspection department entered the factory located at Moghbazar in the city in the morning, alleged workers.

Md Alam, President of the proposed trade union of Dacca Dyeing Garments said the employees of the head office and police started calling the listed workers from several factory floors and forced them to receive an amount and put their signature on a blank paper. The factory authority used police to compel them to receive an amount as termination benefit without showing any reason, he added.

Director of Palmal Group, Mahatab Uddin, said that they had terminated some extra workforce from the factory as per the law. Refuting the allegations by the workers over the trade union issues, Uddin said that the authority was not aware who were involved with the process of forming trade union and added that they were forced to cut the workforce due to the recent decline in export orders.