Workers block highway in Gazipur, commuters in distress

Workers of a garment factory in Hossain Market area at Tongi in Gazipur have blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway demanding payment of their outstanding salaries.

The protest, which began at 7am on Tuesday (March 11), halted traffic on both sides of the highway, resulting in long traffic jams on the road. Many commuters were forced to walk to their destinations.

The workers alleged that the February salary of the workers of the BHIS Apparels Limited factory in Tongi was supposed to be paid on March 9, but the authorities did not pay the salary. So, they started a protest at the factory on Monday morning. At that time, the authorities did not pay the workers with various excuses, so the workers finally took position inside the factory.

They returned home on Monday afternoon. However, when the workers went to join work on Tuesday morning, they saw that the authorities had hung a notice of indefinite closure in front of the factory. The workers took to the street and blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway from 7am.

As a result, the movement of vehicles on the highway has been stopped, and long traffic jams have been created, triggering immense sufferings for the commuters.

On information, the industrial police and local thana police have reached the spot and are trying to calm the workers.

Meanwhile, workers of a factory in Gazipur's Mouchak have also blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway in protest of the beating of a worker, resulting in severe traffic jams on that road as well.