Garment workers organized a protest march along the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Gazipur’s Board Bazar to demand payment of two months’ overdue wages. The demonstration took place on Monday, with over 100 employees of Winter Wool Sweater Ltd participating around 11:30 am. They blocked one side of the highway, voicing their grievances for the unpaid salaries.
According to Industrial Police Additional Superintendent Salim Reza, the protest proceeded peacefully without causing a complete halt in traffic flow. Law enforcement officers were present at the scene to ensure order as vehicles moved slowly through the affected area. Discussions were ongoing between the factory management and the workers to address the wage dispute.
Gazipur Traffic Police Inspector Tariqul Islam noted that the protest added strain to a critical intersection, exacerbating traffic congestion along the route. Shafiul Alam, the president of the Gazipur metropolitan branch of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation, emphasized the urgency of promptly settling the workers’ wages and allowances. He mentioned that employees from the factory’s unit 3 on Hurricane Road in Gacha were also part of the protest.
Efforts to reach out to the factory authorities for their input on the situation were fruitless. As of 1:00 pm local time, police reported that traffic movement remained sluggish due to the ongoing disruption.