The employees of the Asian Paints factory staged a strike and protest to demand permanent employment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpanagar in Mirsarai Upazila of Chittagong.

According to the labor law, when the employment period of a permanent position is completed for six months, there is an automatic permanent appointment to that position, but Asian Paints and other multinational companies do not accept it.

The demonstration was held in front of the Asian Paints factory last Sunday morning. At this time, the protestors raised various slogans demanding permanent employment.

85 factory workers participated in the program. Factory operator Nazim Uddin, Imam Hossain, Iqbal Hossain, Nishan, Zahir, Kamrul etc. spoke.

The speakers said, ‘We have been working since the beginning of the Asian Paints factory in Mirsrai Economic Zone. But even after three years, our jobs are not made permanent, instead, inexperienced people are being hired by bringing in external people through third parties. Apart from that, the local residents of Mirsarai are being retrenched without any notice. We are extremely disappointed with the family. The strike will continue until the demand is met.’— Source Prothom Alo.

Speaking to a former dealer of Asian Paints of Mirsrai, he said that in the last fiscal year 2022-2023, Mirsrai did a business of Asian Paints in a union of about 1.5 crores whereas the target of Asian Paints was 60 lakhs. The field officers employed by Asian Paints through third parties go door to door to generate sales and sell this company’s paints but after years their employment is not permanent but they are fired on various pretexts, disregarding the labor laws of Bangladesh. These are manipulations. The dealer provided more information and for these reasons I no longer carry their products in my store. He also said that they themselves sell the products directly. So what is the point of giving a dealer, it is to promote my name by selling my appearance. They release various policies in the market to encourage painters which I don’t know how ethical they are..! he commented. He also said they ruined the salesman’s career. They do business in Bangladesh but most of them claim to be Indian management. He asked if there is no qualified person to sit in this position in Bangladesh….?

Several officials of the Asian Paints factory were called to inquire about this, but they did not receive the call.