Workers from Mahmud Jeans Limited, a garment factory located in the Haritakitla area of Chandra, blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway on 28th November in a protest demanding overdue wages.
The blockage commenced at 9 AM, resulting in significant traffic congestion extending several kilometers in both directions. Passengers and drivers faced considerable hardships as the vital highway, which connects Dhaka to the northern regions of the country, became gridlocked, affecting numerous nearby roads as well.
Officials from the Industrial Police reported that law enforcement is currently in discussions with both factory management and the protesting workers in an effort to restore normal traffic conditions. Royes Uddin, officer-in-charge of the Naojor Highway Police Station, stated, “Traffic on the Dhaka-Tangail highway has been disrupted due to the roadblock by the workers. We are actively working to negotiate with them to remove the blockade and resume traffic flow.”
The unrest among workers stems from reportedly unpaid dues, which include one month of outstanding wages, service benefits, and delays in salaries for some factory officials spanning six to nine months. Md Azad Rahman, an inspector with Gazipur Industrial Police-2, explained that the factory was scheduled to disburse the workers’ dues this morning. However, at 8:30 AM, management announced they were unable to pay due to a lack of funds, prompting the workers, including both current employees and former staff, to take to the streets.
This protest follows a previous incident in August when workers staged a prolonged demonstration over unpaid wages that had accumulated for five months. Although some payments were eventually made, several workers still have outstanding dues.
