Garment workers in Gazipur staged a protest on Thursday morning, blocking the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway to demand an extension of their Eid holidays.
The demonstration caused severe traffic congestion in both directions, disrupting vehicular movement.
The protest took place in the Hotapara area of Gazipur Sadar Upazila on Thursday (20 March), where workers from Yuta Garments gathered on the highway, demanding a longer leave period for Eid.
According to the demonstrators, despite multiple requests to the factory management, their Eid holidays were shorter than those granted by other garment factories. The refusal to extend the leave led to rising tensions between the workers and the factory authorities.
On Thursday morning, as workers arrived at the factory, they refused to resume their duties and instead took to the streets, blocking the highway as part of their demonstration.
The obstruction resulted in a complete standstill of traffic on both sides of the busy Dhaka-Mymensingh route.
Upon receiving reports of the blockade, law enforcement personnel, including members of the Industrial Police, arrived at the scene to engage in discussions with the protesting workers in an attempt to resolve the situation.
Speaking to the press, Superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police AKM Zahidul Islam confirmed the incident, stating, "Workers in Hotapara have blocked the highway over Eid holiday demands. Efforts are being made to resolve the issue and restore normal traffic movement."
The protest highlights ongoing tensions between garment workers and factory owners regarding leave policies, especially during major festivals like Eid, when many workers wish to travel to their hometowns to celebrate with their families.
The authorities are currently working to negotiate a resolution to the workers' demands while ensuring that traffic flow on the highway is restored.
