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DHAKA: Readymade garment (RMG) factory workers resumed protests in Kaliakair upazila of Gazipur, blocking the Dhaka-Tangail highway to demand a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000.
They blocked the highway in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area around 7am on Monday, causing traffic congestion stretching at least 10 kilometres on both sides and disrupting commuters and drivers.
According to police and local sources, a group of workers gathered in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area in the morning and took positions on the highway to stage protests. Several other people later joined them, bringing traffic on both sides of the highway to a halt.
Kaliakair Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shahidul Islam said efforts were underway to resolve the situation through discussions with the workers. He claimed that some workers, along with outsiders, had gathered in the area and blocked the highway to press for higher wages.
Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Md Nurul Karim Bhuiyan said 10 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel had been deployed from Monday to control the labour unrest. Executive magistrates would also be on duty alongside them.
Earlier, protests and road blockades began on Sunday morning in Chandra Palli Bidyut, Safipur Bazar, Mouchak and Telichala areas of Kaliakair.
Amid tensions throughout the day, a scrap warehouse of a garment factory and a police van were set on fire in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area around 12:30pm. The incidents triggered panic in the area, prompting law enforcement agencies to step up efforts to bring the situation under control.
At least 30 factories announced holidays due to the daylong protests, blockades and violence. Traffic on the highway returned to normal after around six hours.
Police said allegations had also emerged that outsiders were participating in and instigating the workers’ movement.
Police arrested nine people belonging to the Bangladesh Chhatra League, Swechchhasebak League and Jubo League in raids across different parts of Kaliakair on Sunday. Police alleged that they had directly participated in and instigated the workers’ protests.
In addition, Gazipur district and metropolitan police arrested a total of 30 people.
