After nearly 56 hours of continuous blockade demanding three months' worth of unpaid wages, garment workers in Gazipur have finally cleared the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway, bringing much-needed relief to commuters and transport workers alike.
The protest ended at around 2pm on Monday (11 November) after workers received assurances that their salaries would be paid, said Gazipur police.
The unrest began on Saturday (9 November), at around 9:30am when workers of TNZ Apparels Limited in the Maleker Badi area of Gazipur city initiated their protest. By 11am on the same day, the workers had blocked the highway, leading to severe traffic congestion and considerable public distress. This caused significant inconvenience for commuters, transport drivers, and pedestrians, as well as students travelling to schools and colleges.
In response to the disruptions caused by the workers' strike, authorities from at least 30 factories in Gazipur declared a holiday for their employees due to the volatile situation on the roads.
By 1pm on Monday, during a visit to the Bhogra Bypass and Maleker Badi areas of Gazipur city, it was observed that traffic had begun to ease, with the highway's earlier congestion dissipating.
However, the blockade had caused a traffic jam spanning over 40 kilometres along both the Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways.
According to traffic police, the main entry and exit points into Dhaka were closed, and vehicles were instructed to use alternative routes to avoid further congestion.
The resolution of the blockade has brought some respite to the public and transport operators, who had faced intense delays over the past few days.
