Workers from the Beximco Industrial Park in Gazipur have once again blocked the Chandra-Nabinagar highway, demanding their unpaid wages.
The protest on Monday caused traffic disruption, forcing vehicles to take alternative routes through Dhaka-Tangail highway and regional roads connecting Dhamrai.
Around 40,000 workers are employed in the factories of Beximco Industrial Park, located in the Sarabo area. Among them, many workers have not received their October salaries, leading to the unrest.
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Rajib Hossain, an inspector of Gazipur Industrial Police, said that while some workers have been paid, many others are yet to receive their wages. "The remaining salaries are expected to be paid later today, and we are trying to convince the workers to leave the road," he said.
According to workers, they had previously blocked the same highway for seven days but withdrew their protest last Thursday night following an assurance from authorities that their wages would be paid on Sunday. When payments were not made by Sunday afternoon, workers resumed their blockade, which extended into Monday morning.
The protest has also impacted nearby factories, with several temporarily shutting down due to safety concerns. Despite assurances from the management last week, the delays in payments have frustrated workers, prolonging the disruption.
Traffic on the Chandra-Nabinagar highway was restored briefly on Friday and Saturday after the initial blockade ended, but the situation escalated again on Sunday evening. Protesters remain firm in their demands, and police are closely monitoring the situation.
As of now, efforts are underway to mediate between the workers and factory management to resolve the issue and restore normalcy in the area.