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Opso Pharma workers run amok

 Workers of Opso Pharma, a sister concern of the Opsonin Group, a leading pharmaceutical and chemical company, went on a rampage on the premises of its factory in the city while demonstrating for their 13-point demand on Tuesday afternoon. They created vandalism at the factory in Bogura Road area. Their agitation spilled into other industrial units of the group prompting a halt to their production. Police charged baton, opened 150 rounds of bullet and lobbed 20 rounds of teargas canister to quell the unrest. The factories of the group have more than 4,000 workers but they don not follow the wage rules and labor laws, workers alleged. Witnesses said workers refusing to work started demonstration inside the factory after the authorities refused to accept their 13-point demand and two leaders were assaulted by the management at 3:30 pm. The workers assaulted Syedur Rahman, administrative officer, Selim and Mannan Mandal, production and management officials of the factory, and vandalised the rooms and  factory furniture at about 3:30.
Police were called in and they controlled the situation by charging baton, lobbing 20 teargas shells and firing 150 bullets at about 4:40 pm, said Sub-inspector Mohiuddin and Inspector Shakhawat Hossain of Kotwali police station. Workers said at least 20 workers were injured in police firing and six of them— Riaz, Sagor, Mehedi, Rakib, Shaon and Kaium-were admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital. Police said they detained five unruly workers— Riahaduzzaman, Saiful Islam, Saiful , Ziaur Rahman and Anisur Rahman— from the spot and till filing of this report no case was lodged.
The demands of the workers included issuance of appointment letter, job regularisation, Tk 1,000 yearly increment of monthly salary, payment of yearly bonus equivalent to one month’s salary , stopping dismissal of workers without any notice and implementation of the labour law, said some agitating workers declining to be named. The workers said in the last one year they talked with the human resources and management authorities at least six times and even observed strike several times but the company has remained indifferent to the fulfillment of their promises.
June 18, 2013 was the dateline for meeting their demands and when the leading workers tried to talk with the management over not-implementing the demands, they were assaulted by the management that forced them to go for vandalism, the workers claimed.
On other hand, following  the incident, workers of the factories of Opso-Saline at Kabi Jibanananda Sarak and  Global Capsule at Rupatali areas in the city and units  of the group, going on strike stopped production and police were deployed in the factory areas, acknowledged Saidur Rahman Khan, executive officer (admin) of Opsonin Barisal office. He admitted the workers’ unrest but denied to make any further comment.
It will take time to resume production of severely damaged Opso-Pharma factory he said, adding that they were passing time in anxiety  about possible spread of vandalisation in other factories of the group.
Factory sources said the damage caused by the incident would go up to estimated Tk 10 lakh.
Spokesman of agitated workers said more than 2,200 workers of four  factories of Opsonin group, a leading pharmaceutical, chemical and medical item producers all over the country,  were deprived of their basic and human rights.
He alleged that they work here for years without any appointment letter and without the labour law being implemented.
Their days pass amid hardship as they are to work here as part time, master roll or temporary labourers on the basis of no-work-no-pay, he said, adding, they often lost job without any prior notice.

 

 

Source : The Independent