Worker 'commits suicide' over harassment by factory authorities

A worker in Kaliakoir of Gazipur has allegedly committed suicide by drinking toxic chemicals in a factory after posting a status on Facebook.

The incident occurred on Thursday (April 17) midnight during the night shift at a ready-made garment factory in Mouchak area of ​​Kaliakoir upazila. After that, the authorities declared the factory closed.

The deceased is Md. Idris Ali, 23. He worked in the carton section of the Montrims Limited factory. He used to stay at a rented house in the Nishchintapur area of ​​the upazila.

According to other workers and police, Idris Ali has not been made permanent even after a year of employment. Whenever he went to talk to the authorities about making it permanent, he was harassed. At some point during last night's work, Idris Ali drank the factory's chemicals. He was rescued and taken to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital, where the doctor on duty declared him dead.

Before his death, Idris Ali posted a status on Facebook against the factory authorities. There, he complained that he had been working for a year. Some people are getting permanent jobs within three to six months, but his job is not being made permanent.

Mentioning the names of two factory officials, he further wrote, "They don't consider people as human beings. They think they are made of gold, we are made of clay. I will commit suicide today."

When contacted several times regarding this, Anwar Hossain, the administrative officer of Montrims Limited, found his mobile phone switched off.

Salim, in-charge of Mouchak police outpost, said that the matter is under investigation.