Workers of two readymade garment factories at Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) are staging demonstration in front of its administrative building demanding their unpaid Eid bonus and salary of March.

Around 400 workers of the two factories, both owned by JMS Group, also blocked the busy road at CEPZ intersection, known as Freeport Mor, for around half an hour from 10:30am, police and CEPZ officials said.

Mohammad Solaiman, superintendent of police (SP) of Industrial Police (Chattogram region), said that police convinced them for talks and managed to remove them from the intersection.

Then, the workers took position in front of the administrative building of the CEPZ.

Both the factories -- JMS Garments Ltd and Modiste CEPZ Ltd -- were supposed to resume operations today after Eid holidays. Their authorities earlier assured to pay the Eid bonus and last month's salary to the workers by yesterday. But last night, the owner issued a notice announcing to reopen the factories on April 17, said the SP.

Being agitated with such decision, the workers first started demonstration in front of their factories in the morning and later blocked the CEPZ Mor.

The CEPZ authorities and police held a meeting with workers' representatives at the CEPZ office while other workers were seen gathering outside the building when the report was filed at 1:00pm.