Envoy Group, a Savar-based apparel factory owned by ruling party lawmaker Abdus Salam Murshedy, has sacked 203 workers over their alleged involvement in illegal protests. The group has reopened their apparel factory after a three-day closure.
The company had made the announcement in a notice on Tuesday after a tripartite meeting in the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Dhaka office. It later published the list of sacked workers on a notice board, with their photos, and addresses.
Salam Murshedy is also the Senior Vice President of Bangladesh Football Federation, and a former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
Envoy Group workers, who lost their jobs, said their protests were carried out in a sensible manner, and the owner sacked them illegally before Eid-ul Azha by using the labour act as a tool.
They added that the company’s workers enjoy an 11-day Eid-ul-Fitr holiday, and during the period, 6 days are official holidays. As per their verbal agreement with the owner, the rest of these days are adjusted by being on duty on Fridays.
The workers recover the extra holidays as per agreement, but the owner is yet to pay them overtime.
Under the circumstances, Envoy Group authorities asked workers on Thursday (May 23) to do duty on Friday, although the day is officially a weekly holiday. But the workers denied the proposal and started protesting.
Amid this situation, the clothes manufacturing company announced “no work, no pay” notice under the labour act’s section 13/1. Following the decision, the workers’ leaders, owners and the BGMEA held a meeting on Tuesday in the apex body office and made the decision to reopen the factory on Wednesday.
On Wednesday morning, the company issued 203 workers’ termination notices at the factory gate, and reopened the establishment.
A worker of the factory, who found himself in the termination list, told The Business Post seeking anonymity, “The owners sacked us illegally. They used the labour act as a tool to terminate us.
"We will continue to protest seeking withdrawal of this illegal decision.”
Another worker said, “Eid-ul-Azha is near at hand, and the owner sacked us illegally so that they do not have to pay us. This is inhuman."
The Business Post had made multiple attempts to reach company owner Salam Murshedy on phone for his comments on the matter, but he could not be reached till the filing of this report.
