Gazipur: Garment factory workers have blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway again after lifting the blockade after 56 hours in Gazipur on the assurance of the Labor Secretary.
On Monday (November 11), they blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in the Malek Bari area of Gazipur metropolis at around 3:30 pm.
Earlier, at around 2 pm, the workers announced the withdrawal of the movement and left the road after being assured by the Labor Secretary and law enforcement agencies, citing the factory authorities. Shortly after this, the agitating workers blocked the road again at around 3:30 pm. This again turned the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway into a riot. Severe traffic jams were created. However, law enforcement agencies are holding discussions with the workers at the scene.
Meanwhile, Labor Secretary AHM Shafiquzzaman said in a statement that the workers' arrears will be paid between next Thursday and Sunday. If the factory authorities fail to do so, the government will pay it.
The agitating workers said that the Labor Secretary has said that he will pay the salary between next Thursday and Sunday. But we will not give any more time. We will not leave the road until we are paid in cash.
Incidentally, last Saturday (November 9), workers of the TNZ Apparels Limited factory in the Maleker Bari area of Gazipur metropolis started a movement demanding three months' arrears of salary. At one stage, they blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway around 11 am that day. Since then, severe traffic jams have been created on this road, causing extreme public suffering. Transport drivers, passengers, people of different classes and professions and school and college students plying on this route have suffered. The drivers left hundreds of vehicles stuck on the road.
Upon receiving news of the movement, members of each division of the law enforcement agencies, including the Army, Metropolitan Police, Traffic Police, and other forces, went to the spot and tried to control the situation. However, the workers rejected their assurances and took a strong stand. Finally, at around 2 pm on Monday, the factory authorities assured them of paying their salaries, but the workers withdrew their protest, but the workers blocked the road again.