Former Grameenphone employees have staged demo on May Day demanding justice for 5 percent penalty dues that illegally withheld for more than 15 years.

Nearly 500 former staff took part in the demonstration in front of GP House, head office of the mobile network operator in Dhaka on Thursday.

Draped in unity and carrying the spirit of labor rights, these former workers observed the day through colorful, symbolic programs—songs of protest, banners of truth, and unwavering calls for justice.

“Among them were a significant number of women, many of whom had faced brutal oppression during the February 25 crackdown by police, a day when their peaceful demonstration was met with violence,” read a statement signed by Abu Sadat Md. Shoyeb, convener at Grameenphone 5 percent Delayed Dues Recovery Unity Council.

"Today is not just a protest—it is a cry for dignity," said one of the female participants. “We built this company with our blood and sweat. Now we are being denied what is rightfully ours."

The workers once again reminded the nation of the long-ignored injustice. Their chants carried two clear messages: release the 5 percent dues that thousands of workers rightfully earned, and hold accountable those responsible for the inhumane police brutality unleashed on February 25, particularly against female protesters.

This movement is not driven by politics or vengeance—it is driven by survival, memory, and truth. For over 15 years, Grameenphone’s failure to pay the 5% penalty has affected more than 4,000 lives. Behind every demand is a family struggling, a dream shattered, and a right denied.

As the world celebrates workers today, the former employees of Grameenphone ask only for what is legally theirs. Their resilience sends a powerful message to corporate giants: workers are not disposable.

They are calling upon the media, human rights groups, and international labor organizations to stand with them. Justice delayed is justice denied—but justice demanded with unity can never be silenced.