Workers from several factories at Beximco Industrial Park in Gazipur have maintained their blockade of the Chandra-Nabinagar Highway for the seventh consecutive day, demanding the payment of their overdue October salaries. The protest, which began on 14th November, has created significant disruptions, leading to severe traffic congestion and inconveniencing hundreds of thousands of commuters.
The workers have been gathering since 9:00 AM and remaining on the highway until 7:00 PM each day, except for a brief pause last Friday. Their grievances persist despite Government assurances and initiatives aimed at resolving the situation. Earlier this week, the Government announced a Tk60 crore loan to help Beximco settle the overdue wages.
Tensions escalated earlier this week when clashes broke out between Beximco workers and employees of a neighboring factory, resulting in violence and vandalism, including the torching of a knitwear factory. The unrest has contributed to the closure of several factories in the region as law enforcement units, including the army and industrial police, attempt to restore order.
Commuters have been forced to seek alternative transportation methods, with many relying on battery-run rickshaws or walking to evade the blockade. The disruption has also impacted the transport of goods, causing vehicles headed to the northern regions to divert to routes like the Dhaka-Tangail highway and Dhamrai-Kaliakair regional road.
Several factories have been declared closed due to the unrest, including That’s IT Knit, Doreen Group’s Doreen Apparels, Autotax Ltd, and several others, impacting approximately 41,000 workers across Beximco Industrial Park’s apparel and ceramic sectors.
Despite repeated assurances from the authorities, the protesting workers remain resolute, insisting they will not cease their blockade until their wages are paid. Local residents are urging the Government to take prompt action to restore normalcy to the affected roads.
