10 garment factories closed as protesting workers clear Gazipur highways

Authorities have declared a holiday at 10 garment factories after workers blocked highways in Gazipur's Tongi and Kaliakair in protest over unpaid wages and alleged attacks on colleagues.

Workers have since ended their blockade of the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in Tongi and the Dhaka-Tangail Highway in Kaliakair Upazila, allowing traffic to resume on Tuesday morning, according to Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent AKM Zahirul Islam.

Protesters barricaded and occupied the highways from 8am to press for various demands. The blockades resulted in severe traffic congestion, said Zahirul.

Law enforcement subsequently intervened to restore order.

"By 11am, we managed to convince the workers to clear the highways, and traffic gradually returned to normal. We are now discussing their demands with factory owners and hope to resolve the issue soon," said Zahirul.

Reports surfaced that some workers assaulted colleagues who chose not to join the protest and attempted to report to work.

Given the circumstances, authorities decided to close 10 factories in Gazipur, according to the Industrial Police.

The protesters withdrew their blockades of the Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways after protesting for three hours over unpaid wages, overtime pay, and Eid bonuses.

Although traffic has resumed after a three-hour hold-up due to the protests, authorities said that congestion persists in some parts and it will take time for the normal flow to be restored.

On Tuesday, workers from BHIS Apparels Ltd blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in the Hossain Market area of Tongi.

According to Faridul Islam, chief of Tongi East Police Station, the army and police intervened around 11am, convincing the workers to end the blockade.

"The workers blocked the highway from early morning, demanding overdue salaries and other benefits. After discussions, we persuaded them to clear the road, allowing traffic to resume," said Faridul.

Meanwhile, in Kaliakair, workers also withdrew from the Dhaka-Tangail Highway after protesting against the assaults on colleagues at Globus Garments factory.

Workers had taken to the streets around 8am, demanding action against the perpetrators. The protesters dispersed by 10am, restoring regular traffic flow, according to Kaliakair Police Station chief Riad Mahmud.

Due to the protests, at least 15 nearby factories in Kaliakair were temporarily closed," he said.