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Hundreds of workers staged a protest Monday morning, blocking key roads in Ashulia and leading to the closure of 30 factories in the industrial area.
The protest, which began at 8:00 am, saw workers demanding proportional recruitment of men and women in garment factories, among other issues. Demonstrators blocked the Nabinagar-Chandra and Baipail-Abdullahpur roads.
Some protesters in the Nischintapur and Jamgora areas eventually dispersed.
One worker, requesting anonymity, said a group of people armed with sticks threw stones at “The Rose” factory in Jamgora. The group then moved to the IDS factory.
Authorities could not confirm whether the group was of workers, UNB reports.
The factory management then announced closures along both sides of the affected roads.
The Industrial Police said that protesters erected barricades at several points on the roads and began pelting stones at nearby factories, escalating tensions in the area. It led to closure of at least 30 factories along the Baipail-Abdullahpur road.
Members of the Industrial Police, with Army, persuaded the workers to remove the barricades, restoring traffic flow. However, protests continued in front of the DEPZ area.
Superintendent of Police Md Sarwar Alam of Industrial Police-1 confirmed that the protest was primarily driven by demands for job opportunities.
"Some unemployed workers are demanding jobs, as well as proportional recruitment of men and women in garment factories," he said. "With the Army's assistance, we have cleared the Baipail-Abdullahpur road, and we are working to resolve the situation in the DEPZ area."