Protests erupted in Gazipur’s Tongi and Kaliakair as workers from two readymade garment (RMG) factories demonstrated against factory shutdowns, unpaid wages, and demands for Eid bonuses and overtime allowances.
On the morning of 23rd March, workers from BSIS Apparels Limited in Tongi blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway, causing significant traffic disruptions for over an hour. The protests stemmed from the factory’s closure following several days of unrest related to unpaid wages.
According to police reports, the demonstration began around 7 am, leading to severe gridlock on the highway. Army personnel arrived at the scene around 8:45 am and successfully negotiated with the workers, assuring them that their dues would be paid. Afterward, the workers moved to gather in front of their factory.
Factory sources indicated that the workers had previously requested a payment date for their February wages, Eid bonuses, and overtime allowances on 10th March. Although the factory management set 23rd March as the payment date, workers expressed dissatisfaction, leading to a work stoppage. Upon arriving at the factory on 11th March, they discovered a closure notice, prompting their protests.
In a separate incident, workers from Daeyu Bangladesh Limited in Kaliakair began protesting on 22nd March, demanding leave allowances, Eid bonuses, and tiffin allowances. Tensions escalated around 9 am when some factory staff and outsiders clashed with protestors, resulting in injuries to three to four workers who were later treated at a nearby hospital.
Angered by the situation, the protesting workers vandalised the Daeyu factory premises. Reports indicated that other factories declared a holiday as 400-500 workers from Daeyu attempted to rally additional support for their cause. The unrest resulted in vandalism at Lyric Industries Limited when its management delayed declaring a holiday. One female worker sustained a head injury during the chaos.
Superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police-2, AKM Jahirul Islam, confirmed that the situation in Tongi had returned to normal following the assurances made to the workers regarding their dues. He noted that additional police forces were deployed in front of the Daeyu factory in Kaliakair to maintain order and facilitate discussions with factory authorities to resolve the ongoing issues.
