Garment workers in Gazipur resumed protests on Sunday demanding a minimum monthly wage of 30,000 Taka, bringing vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Tangail highway to a complete halt and triggering a tense security situation that saw a police box set on fire in the Konabari area. The fresh demonstrations, which erupted early Sunday morning, have severely disrupted traffic and commuter movement across key industrial hubs, prompting authorities to deploy five platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to restore law and order.
The unrest began early Sunday as workers from several factories, including Karnee Knit Composite and Knit Asia in the Ratanpur area, abstained from work after registering their attendance and marched onto the highway. Hundreds of workers carrying sticks took positions at various points in Safipur Bazar, Chandra Polli Bidyut, Mouchak, and Telicala areas under Kaliakoir Upazila, chanting slogans to press home their demands and forcing authorities to declare holidays at several surrounding factories.
Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Md. Nurul Karim Bhuiyan confirmed that five platoons of BGB personnel have been deployed to maintain control over the deteriorating situation, adding that additional security forces will be deployed if necessary. Meanwhile, Konabari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Iftekhair Hossain stated that enraged protesters vandalized a police box located in the middle of the highway in the Konabari area, dragging out furniture and equipment before setting them ablaze.
Kaliakoir Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shahidul Islam noted that the persistent blockades have entirely paralyzed traffic on the critical trade corridor, causing immense suffering to commuters. The ongoing labor unrest has now stretched for approximately two weeks across various parts of Gazipur. The latest demonstrations follow a violent night on Saturday, when protesters blocked the highway near Chandra Polli Bidyut and Ansar Academy Gate Number 3 until 8:30 PM, forcing police to use tear gas shells and baton charges to disperse the crowd and restore traffic after a five-hour standoff.
