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Garment factory workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail Highway at the Chandra Palli Bidyut area in Kaliakair upazila of Gazipur on Saturday morning, bringing traffic to a halt on both sides of the highway.
The protest began around 8:30am, causing severe inconvenience to commuters. Several nearby factories also declared holidays amid the unrest.
According to factory workers and police, employees of two garment factories — Tropical in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area and Apex Lingerie in East Chandra — staged protests last Thursday. Police dispersed the demonstrators that day by firing tear gas shells and sound grenades, leaving several workers injured.
The protest resumed on Saturday after reports spread that a worker injured during Thursday’s clashes had died. Workers stopped working and took to the streets, eventually blocking the Dhaka-Tangail Highway near their factories.
Members of the Gazipur Industrial Police, Kaliakair Police Station and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) rushed to the scene. They tried to restore normalcy through discussions with the workers, but tensions escalated.
With traffic movement suspended on the highway, commuters faced severe difficulties, with many having to walk to reach their destinations.
Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Md Amjad Hossain said the workers were protesting over rumours of a worker’s death, although their main demand was a wage increase.
Workers from seven to eight nearby factories had joined the road blockade, he added.
