A protest by garment workers in Dhaka’s Banani led to significant traffic disruptions after a colleague was killed in a road accident early Monday morning. The incident occurred around 6 am at the Chairman Bari U-Turn, resulting in the immediate blocking of Airport Road and the Dhaka Elevated Expressway by the workers.
The deceased has been identified as Sumaiya Akter, 20 years old. Mohammad Rasel Sarwar, the officer-in-charge of Banani Police Station, stated that her body had been sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
According to Mofizul Islam, deputy commissioner of the Traffic Gulshan Division, the blockade began at 9 am, causing heavy congestion in nearby areas. The workers expressed their grief and anger over the accident by halting traffic on both sides of the road and on the Elevated Expressway, demanding justice and accountability.
Sub-Inspector Jewel, duty officer at the Banani Police Station, confirmed that a garment worker was killed in the accident, and police are currently working to manage the situation and redirect traffic through alternative routes. Authorities have diverted vehicles at the Banani-Kakoli Crossing and Mohakhali-Amtoli Crossing to alleviate congestion caused by the protest.
The Traffic Gulshan Division’s Facebook page reported that while details regarding the vehicles involved in the accident remain unclear, the demonstration by the garment workers has created a significant disruption in the capital’s traffic flow. Police are on-site, striving to restore order while addressing the concerns raised by the protesting workers.
