Gazipur RMG workers block Dhaka-Mymensingh highway over unpaid wages
Chanting slogans, they left the factory and began a demonstration by blocking the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway near the Asia Pump bus stand in Tongi
Workers of a ready-made garment factory in the Kha Para area of Gazipur's Tongi staged a protest on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway today (30 April) demanding due wages, halting traffic on both sides for about an hour from 10am and causing a long tailback.
Police arrived at the scene around 11am and dispersed the workers using three rounds of sound grenades, two rounds of tear gas, and a water cannon.
According to police and worker sources, around 1,500 workers of Seasons Dresses Ltd reported for duty at 8am today. At around 9:30am, they demanded payment of 20 days' due wages for March. When the factory authorities failed to provide a specific date for payment, the workers became agitated.
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Chanting slogans, they left the factory and began a demonstration by blocking the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway near the Asia Pump bus stand in Tongi.
Anwar, one of the protesting workers, said, "The factory owner never pays our monthly wages on time. Earlier, we blocked the road for five consecutive days. We're back again today. The police dispersed us using sound grenades, tear gas, and water jets."
TBS attempted to reach factory owner Bahauddin Chowdhury Baker, but he did not respond to repeated phone calls.
Gazipur Industrial Police-2 Superintendent of Police AKM Zahidul Islam said, "Workers of this factory often block the highway over various demands. The factory management doesn't take adequate steps to address their grievances. Today was no exception, and traffic came to a halt on both sides of the highway."
"We tried to reason with the workers, but they did not listen. Later, to ease public suffering, we removed them from the highway. Army personnel were also present at the scene," he said.
