Traffic halts on Dhaka-Tangail highway as workers protest

Readymade garment (RMG) workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area of Kaliakair upazila in Gazipur on Saturday (November 14) morning, protesting rumours of a co-worker's death and demanding a wage hike.

The demonstration began around 9:15AM, bringing vehicular movement on the busy highway to a standstill and creating long tailbacks that left commuters stranded. According to police and worker sources, employees from eight to 10 factories in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area initially reported to work in the morning before leaving their workplaces after marking attendance.

Gazipur Industrial Zone-2 Superintendent of Police Md Amzad Hossain confirmed that the workers took to the streets over demands for higher wages and rumours that a female worker from Apex factory—who had been injured during demonstrations a few days earlier—had died. Law enforcement personnel arrived at the scene and are negotiating with the protesters to clear the highway and restore normal traffic. 

-EM