Workers of a readymade garment factory today staged a demonstration in Savar's Ashulia on the outskirts of the capital, demanding arrears and protesting the prolonged closure of the factory in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Around 250 workers of Adiyat Apparels Ltd in Ashulia's Narsinghpur area staged the agitation in front of the factory around 10:00pm and continued for at least two hours, reports our Savar correspondent.  

When informed, a team of industrial police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, assuring the demonstrators that the issue would be settled after talking to the factory authorities.

The agitating workers said the authorities closed the factory on March 28 due to the coronavirus outbreak and later, they extended the closure till May 31 by issuing a notice without paying the salaries for March. 

On April 12, the factory authorities sent a text message to all its workers saying that the factory closure would continue till June 1, they said.

Talking to the correspondent, Tamim Ahmed, managing director of the factory, said only 20 percent work order was in their hand and they will not be able to pay the workers with the small amount of work.

"And thus, we have been forced to announce the layoff," Tamim Ahmed said.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Dhaka Industrial Police-1 Jane Alam Khan said they are now trying to resolve the issue.