Agitating workers stage demo in Gazipur

Workers from several garment factories in Gazipur’s Kaliakair upazila on Tuesday (October 31) blocked the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways for the eighth consecutive day, demanding salary hike.

No long-distance vehicles were seen plying on these two highways. Even the number of regional transports is very thin. Agitating workers set a police box on fire and vandalized a hospital and shops.

Meanwhile, most of factory owners in Gazipur have declared general holiday due to the demonstration.

Workers took position at different intersections on the two highways since the morning. A huge number of law enforcers have been deployed to keep the situation normal.

Workers from several factories, including those in the shoe and medicine industries, took part in protest marches and highway blockades.

The workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways. As a result of the blockade, vehicular movement on the highways came to a standstill.

During the blockade, demonstrating workers set a police box on fire and vandalized a hospital and shops, said Akbar Ali Khan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kaliakoir police station.

Police, RAB and other members of law enforcing agencies are working to bring the situation under control, he said.

Workers from nearby Logos Apparels Ltd., Hydroxide Knitwear Ltd., APS Apparels Ltd., and Bay Footwear Ltd. launched the movement with the same demand from October 23.