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The Bangladesh Trade Union Sangha (BTUS) on Wednesday condemned the killing of a worker during a protest at the Uttara Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Nilphamari, demanding exemplary punishment for those responsible.
In a press statement, BTUS President Chowdhury Ashikul Alam and General Secretary Rajat Biswas alleged that law enforcement agencies opened fire on agitating workers of Evergreen Ltd on Monday (Sept 2), killing a worker, Habib, and injuring several others.
The union leaders said workers of Evergreen Ltd had been staging a peaceful protest and work abstention for the past four days, pressing for a 20-point demand, including the reinstatement of retrenched workers, an end to layoffs, reduced production targets, and payment for overtime.
Workers from other factories in the EPZ had also expressed solidarity with the demonstration.
They alleged that instead of resolving the crisis, the factory authorities abruptly closed operations without paying wages, prompting workers to demonstrate on Monday. “Police and army personnel opened fire during the protest, resulting in the tragic death of a worker,” the statement said.
The BTUS leaders accused the government of systematically enabling exploitation in EPZ areas by enacting separate laws that curtail workers’ rights and restrict the access of labour-related government agencies to the zones.
They said factory owners, often in collusion with EPZ authorities, were arbitrarily terminating workers, harassing them, and violating labour regulations with impunity.
The BTUS compared the incident to previous crackdowns on garment workers’ protests in Ashulia and Gazipur, accusing the interim government of continuing the “authoritarian suppression” of workers’ movements.
They demanded the immediate identification and prosecution of those responsible for the shooting, lifelong financial compensation for Habib’s family, proper medical care and compensation for the injured workers, and reopening of all closed factories with full payment of arrears to workers.