Garment workers block Dhaka-Tangail highway in Gazipur

Garment workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area of Kaliakair upazila in Gazipur on Saturday morning, protesting rumours that a worker had died and demanding higher wages.

The workers began their demonstration at around 9:15am, bringing vehicular movement on the busy highway to a halt and causing long tailbacks, leaving commuters stranded.

According to police and workers, employees of eight to 10 factories in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area joined work in the morning but left their factories after marking attendance.

The protest followed rumours that a female worker of Apex factory, who was injured during a workers' movement a few days ago, had died. The workers took to the streets over the rumours and their demand for increased wages.

At one stage, they blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway, disrupting traffic and causing severe congestion. Members of the public faced considerable difficulties as a result.

Police reached the scene after being informed and were trying to persuade the workers to withdraw from the highway.

Mohammad Amzad Hossain, superintendent of police of Gazipur Industrial Zone-2, said workers from eight to 10 factories in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area had marked their attendance before coming out of their workplaces.

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They later staged demonstrations over rumours of a worker's death and demands for higher wages before blocking the highway, he said.

Police were trying to convince the workers to clear the road, he added.