Keya Group lays off 739 workers at four factories

Keya Group has laid off 739 officers and employees at four factories in Jarun, Konabari, Gazipur, in the second round of job cuts at the establishments.

A notice announcing the decision was put up at the main gates of the factories around 10:30pm on Monday.

The affected establishments are the group’s Knit Composite Division, Spinning Division, Cotton Division and Keya Yarn Mills Limited.

Speaking to The Daily Star yesterday, Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Mohammad Amzad Hossain said 739 officers and employees had been laid off. He also provided a copy of the notice.

Police have been deployed at the factory gates to maintain law and order.

The factories have been under a layoff since June 6 due to banking complications and the inability to pay gas bills. The layoff period was subsequently extended several times.

On September 8, the group laid off 627 employees in the first round.

According to the latest notice, signed by the factories’ managing director and chairman, the decision was taken to reduce production and adminzistrative costs amid banking complications, the disconnection of gas supplies over unpaid bills, and excess manpower relative to operational requirements.

As part of the decision, some positions across various sections, departments and divisions have been abolished.

The notice said the excess workers and employees would be laid off from October 20 under Section 20 of the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006. Their legal dues would be paid, it added.

Workers gathered outside the factory gates yesterday morning to check the list of those affected.

Yasmin Begum, an operator in the sewing section, said she had worked at the factory for 18 years and was now worried about supporting her family after losing her job.

Abeda Begum, who had worked as a cleaner at the factory for 19 years, said she was being forced to leave after spending much of her working life there.

Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, organising secretary of the central committee of Jatiya Garments Sramik Jote Bangladesh, condemned the layoffs, saying 739 workers at Keya Knit Composite had been laid off through a single notice after five rounds of layoffs.

He demanded that the workers’ outstanding dues and fair compensation be paid immediately.

Sabina Yasmin, manager of Keya Group’s human resources department, told the media that all dues payable to the laid-off workers would be settled in accordance with labour law.