Traffic on two major highways in Gazipur was brought to a standstill on Tuesday (11 March) as garment workers staged protests demanding overdue salaries, overtime payments, and Eid bonuses.
The situation escalated as demonstrators blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways, prompting intervention from security forces to disperse the gatherings.
From the morning, workers of B.H.I.S. Apparels Limited obstructed the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in the Hossain Market area of Tongi.
The blockade was lifted at approximately 11am following the intervention of the Bangladesh Army and police, according to Faridul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Tongi East Police Station.
Faridul Islam stated that the protesting workers were persuaded to vacate the highway, allowing traffic to resume.
However, congestion persisted due to the prolonged disruption, and authorities estimated that it would take some time for vehicular movement to normalise.
Simultaneously, a separate protest erupted at the Globus factory in Mouchak, Kaliakair, after a worker was allegedly assaulted.
In response, factory employees blocked the Dhaka-Tangail Highway around 8am, disrupting transport.
The blockade was lifted by 10am following negotiations with industrial police and army personnel.
As a result of the protests, at least 15 surrounding factories were forced to close for the day.
Kaliakair Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Riad Mahmud confirmed that the protestors vacated the highway after security forces arrived at the scene.
Superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police, AKM Zahirul Islam, reported that the workers had been demonstrating since 8am over last month’s unpaid wages.
However, by 11am, traffic on the highways had resumed following successful mediation.
