10 BGB platoons deployed as garment workers block Dhaka-Tangail highway

Photo: collected

Garment factory workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway in Gazipur on Monday morning, demanding higher wages, causing severe traffic congestion and disrupting travel to and from Dhaka.

To control the situation and maintain law and order, 10 platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), along with additional police personnel, were deployed at the scene.

The protesting workers said they would continue their movement until their demands were met.

Meanwhile, the administration was holding discussions with the workers to ease tensions and restore normal traffic movement on the highway.

Garment workers also staged protests in Ashulia, Savar and Mirpur in Dhaka on Sunday. In response, authorities declared a general holiday at at least 50 garment factories in Ashulia.

Workers blocked roads in and around Mirpur-10, Mirpur-11 and Mirpur-12, bringing traffic to a standstill.

On Saturday, October 31, garment workers staged similar demonstrations in several parts of Mirpur, also demanding higher wages.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner Mohidul Islam alleged that anti-government or anti-state groups might have joined the protests in an attempt to destabilise the law and order situation.

"A wage board has already been formed to determine the wages of the workers. Activities regarding this matter will now proceed through the board. Although attempts were made to explain this to the workers, they were not leaving the road," he said.

"It appears to us that anti-government or anti-state factions may have joined the protesters to try to deteriorate the law and order situation," he added.