Traffic settles down 5 hours after garment workers block Dhaka-Tangail highway 

Traffic movement on the Dhaka-Tangail highway in Gazipur turned normal five hours after Workers of several factories blocked the roads today demanding a hike in the minimum wages. 

The agitating workers – who gathered in the Mouchak area of Kaliakore upazila around 9:00am today (23 October) and blocked the highway – have been disbursed, said Gazipur Industrial Police Additional Superintendent of Police Mainul Islam. 

The police were able to lift the blockade around 2:00pm, he added.

Meanwhile, a clash broke out around 1:00pm between the workers and the police while they were working to free the area, said the police official.

Photo: TBS

Earlier today, Mouchak police outpost Officer-in-Charge Md Shahidul Islam told The Business Standard, "Hundreds of workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway. Workers who are not partaking in the movement are also being taken out of the factories. Police officials are talking to the workers to bring the situation under control."

Members of the Gazipur Industrial Police went to the spot to bring the situation under control, he added. 

Photo: TBS

Many of the protesting workers were seen chanting slogans demanding wage hikes.

According to the factory workers and the police, the workers of Purbani Group's Karim Textile Factory in the Telirchala area of the upazila started a protest demanding a minimum basic salary of Tk15,000.

Meanwhile, the workers of Lagos Apparels, Hydro Oxide Sweater Factory, APS Apparels, and Bay Footwear Factory joined them and started protesting.

At one point, the workers blocked traffic on both sides of the highway. People travelling on that road have suffered due to this.

Some of the workers, who did not want to be named, said the salary they are paid is not enough to support their families. Considering the current situation, they called for a minimum monthly salary of Tk23,000.