Workers of an RMG factory located in the Chandra area of Kaliakair Upazila, Gazipur staged a protest demanding their overdue salaries, resulting in the suspension of vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Tangail highway, forcing vehicles to use alternative regional routes.
The protest began at 6am on Friday (23 August), in front of the factory, Mahmud Jeans Limited, in the Chandra-Hartakitola area of Gazipur.
"WWorkers are protesting and have blocked the road, leading to traffic congestion," said Shahadat Hossain, an officer at the Nawjor Highway Police Station in the Gazipur region.
The unrest was preceded by an overnight sit-in, as workers began their protest by blocking the factory gates from 9pm on Thursday (22 August).
Early Friday morning, thousands of additional workers and employees joined the demonstration.
According to reports, the factory owners allegedly attempted to remove goods from the premises without settling five months of overdue wages owed to the workers. Upon learning this, the workers gathered and entered the factory to prevent the removal of goods.
The situation escalated, leading to a tense atmosphere. The workers then blockaded the main gate of the factory, causing a prolonged halt in traffic on the Dhaka-Tangail highway.
Law enforcement officers eventually arrived at the scene, persuading the workers to clear the road. However, the workers maintained a vigil throughout the night.
Efforts to contact the factory management for their comments on the situation were unsuccessful as none were willing to speak on the matter.
Shafik Mia, Ibrahim Hossain, and Suman Rana, workers at the factory, reported that five months of wages for workers and two months for employees remain unpaid.
The workers staged a protest on Thursday regarding this issue, but later that night, the factory management attempted to remove goods from the premises under the cover of darkness.
This protest follows an earlier incident on Wednesday (21 August), when workers and employees blocked the highway for four hours, demanding the payment of their overdue salaries. T
The protest was only called off after assurances from the authorities and the factory management.
