Garment Workers Block Dhaka-Tangail Highway in Gazipur

Garment workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area of Gazipur's Kaliakair upazila on Saturday morning, protesting rumours about the death of a fellow worker and demanding higher wages.

The demonstration began at around 9:15am, bringing traffic on the busy highway to a standstill and triggering long tailbacks that left commuters stranded. According to police and workers, employees of eight to 10 factories in the area joined work in the morning but walked out after marking their attendance.

The unrest was triggered by rumours that a female worker of Apex factory, who was injured during a workers' protest a few days earlier, had died. Workers took to the streets over the reports while also pressing their demand for increased wages. They subsequently blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway, severely disrupting traffic and causing significant inconvenience to commuters.

Police rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the blockade and began efforts to persuade the workers to vacate the highway.

Mohammad Amzad Hossain, superintendent of police of Gazipur Industrial Zone-2, said workers from eight to 10 factories in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area had attended their workplaces before joining the demonstration. They later protested over rumours of a worker's death and demands for higher wages before blocking the highway.

Police were working to convince the protesters to clear the road, he added.