The industrial belt of Kaliakair in Gazipur has heated up following protests and a highway blockade by garment workers demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000.
On Saturday (October 31) starting around 2:00 PM, workers from various garment factories gathered and began demonstrating at the Chandra Trimohar area and the Chandra Palli Bidyut area on the Dhaka-Tangail highway. At one point, a chase and counter-chase occurred between the workers and the police.
Due to the escalating tensions, safety concerns, and worker unrest, various factories from Konabari to Chandra declared a holiday, disrupting normal industrial operations.
The agitating workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway, halting vehicular movement on both sides and leaving long-distance buses, freight trucks, and private cars stranded. General passengers and transport workers faced immense suffering due to long traffic jams.
Read next Kulsum Begum Wants to Return to Her Family: Voluntary Organization 'Pashe Darrai' Steps InThe protesting workers stated that with the unbridled rise in essential commodity prices, house rent, utility bills, medical expenses, and children's education costs, it has become extremely difficult to run their families on current wages. To meet basic livelihood needs, they demand that the minimum monthly wage for garment workers be set at Tk 30,000. Workers pointed out that despite the garment industry's vital contribution to the national economy, wages are not keeping pace with the soaring cost of living, forcing many into debt.
Industrial police, highway police, and Kaliakair police station personnel rushed to the scene to control the situation and attempted to clear the highway. During their efforts, chase and counter-chase incidents took place with the workers, creating tension in the area.
Naojour Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Zafar Ali Khan stated that police forces reached the spot upon receiving news of the movement and are trying to normalize the situation through discussions with the workers. No official statement has yet been released by factory authorities regarding the wage demand or the holiday closures.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Shakil Hossain, Kaliakair (Gazipur), Correspondent • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
