Workers and employees at the Barapukuria Coal Mine in Dinajpur staged demonstrations demanding payment of their face bonuses before Eid-ul-Azha, warning authorities of tougher action, including work stoppages, if their demands are not met.
Tension spread across the mining area as more than a hundred workers and staff from different departments joined a sit-in protest at the residential gate inside the mine compound.
The protesters alleged that although coal extraction from Coal Face No-1406 ended in January this year, the corresponding face bonuses for workers are still unpaid.
Labour leaders claimed that workers at the mine have been receiving face bonuses regularly since 2015, but this year the payments have been delayed without any clear explanation.
They further alleged that bonuses for mine officials had already been approved while workers’ dues remained pending, despite existing rules requiring simultaneous payment for both officials and employees.
Among those who addressed the demonstration were Barapukuria Coal Mine Workers-Employees Union adviser Farijar Rahman Topu, who is also joint general secretary of Dinajpur district Jubo Dal, union president Raihanul Islam and member secretary Ashraful Islam.
The union leaders announced that workers would begin a two-hour daily work stoppage from Saturday if the bonuses are not cleared immediately.
They also warned that the movement could intensify further before Eid-ul-Azha and threatened to hold Eid prayers at the mine gate as part of the protest programme.
In an effort to ease tensions, General Manager (Mining) Khan Md Zafar Sadiq held discussions with the protesters and assured them that the mine authorities were in contact with the relevant ministry to resolve the matter.
He said the delay in bonus payments resulted from administrative complications and expressed hope that the issue would be settled soon.
However, labour leaders rejected verbal assurances and declared that the demonstrations would continue until the workers receive their bonuses before Eid.
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