Workers in Gazipur staged demonstrations on Thursday, blocking the busy Chandra-Nabinagar Highway to press home demands that include compensation for injured colleagues, improved safety measures, and unpaid wages. The blockade caused severe traffic disruptions, leaving commuters stranded and forcing vehicles to take alternative routes. The protest was triggered by an accident on Wednesday near the That’s It knitwear factory of the Hamim Group in Zirani. Three factory workers were injured when a bus ran them over. In response, workers took to the streets early Thursday morning, demanding compensation for the injured, construction of a flyover in the area to prevent future accidents, and resolution of ongoing mismanagement issues in the factory. These demands are part of a broader 11-point charter presented by the workers. Meanwhile, workers from Beximco Industrial Park staged a separate demonstration on the same highway, demanding payment of one month's overdue wages. This marks the sixth consecutive day of protests by these employees. Traffic chaos in Dhaka as battery-run rickshaw drivers block streets The highway blockade caused significant hardship for commuters and local residents. Many vehicles were forced to take the Dhaka-Tangail Highway and the Dhamrai-Kaliakair regional road as alternatives. Despite these routes being available, the disruption created congestion across the area. Industrial police and army personnel arrived at the scenes to mediate and persuade workers to vacate the highways. Efforts to restore normal traffic flow were ongoing as of Thursday afternoon.

Vehicular movement on Chandra-Nabinagar highway in Gazipur remained suspended since Monday morning and the adjacent areas turned into a battle field as workers of two garment factories, including that of a Beximco, clashed with law enforcers over the payment of their dues.Unruly workers set a vehicle on fire on the highway in addition to torching a factory in Savar, forcing the authorities to shut a number of factories in Savar and Gazipur areas.In Gazipur, the workers of Beximco Industrial Park blocked Chandra-Nabinagar highway around 9 am demanding that their dues be cleared while the workers of Doreen garment factories took to the streets seeking reopening of their factories.Quoting workers, Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Kashimpur Police Station, said the authorities of Beximco factory failed to clear the wages of the workers after the arrest of businessman and ex-PM Hasina’s adviser Salman F Rahman.The workers of Doreen factory got agitated and staged demonstrations on the highway after they found their factory closed in the morning.On information, industrial police, police and army personnel reached the spot and tried to disperse them.A chase and counter-chase took place between workers and the law enforcers, leaving several people injured. RMG unrest continues in Gazipur, 2 highways blocked At one stage, the workers set fire to a vehicle.UNB Savar Correspondent reports: The workers of Beximco and Doreen factory entered the Amazon Knitwear Ltd, located in Ashulia Jirani Nabi Textile area and forced the authorities to suspend their production, said officer-in-charge of Ashulia Police Station Abu Bakar.At one stage, the owners and staff of the Amazon factory beat up some workers at the factory.Later, some outsiders carried out vandalism inside the factory and sent one fire that spread to the workers' colony, gutting 20 rooms.On information, firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire after three hours.The workers of the Beximco factory have been staging demonstrations for the past seven days.

Gazipur has become a striking example of ecological degradation in Bangladesh in recent years, with 60 percent of forest land and 50 percent of water bodies converted for other purposes over the past two decades due to unregulated urbanisation and industrialisation, according to a recent study. Forest-covered land in Gazipur has plummeted from 39,943 hectares in 2000 to 16,174 hectares in 2023, marking a decline of 59.51 percent.  Similarly, the area of water bodies has fallen by 51.42 percent, shrinking from 11,462 hectares in 2000 to 5,568 hectares in 2023. China pledges more serious efforts to keep its environment, ecology clean The study, titled “Environmental State of Gazipur District: Consequences and Excursion,” was conducted by the River and Delta Research Centre in collaboration with the Bangladesh River Foundation, Prokriti O Jibon Foundation, and the Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA). Standards mandate that areas should maintain 20-25 percent forest coverage and 7-14 percent water coverage. But, Gazipur now has just 9.49 percent forest coverage and 3.27 percent water coverage. The report highlights a significant rural-to-urban migration in Gazipur, with an urban population growth rate of 10.51 percent, while the rural population has declined by 2.05 percent. This migration has been driven largely by industrial employment, which now engages 61.52 percent of the working-age population. Industrial expansion in the district has surged, with the number of industrial areas more than doubling between 2000 and 2023.  This growth has exacerbated land resource contamination and contributed to the encroachment on forests and water bodies. In 2000, the district's land was distributed as follows: 23.44 percent forest, 6.73 percent water bodies, 50.21 percent settlement, 5.21 percent industrial areas, 10.21 percent agricultural areas, and 3.19 percent open space.  By 2023, these figures had changed significantly, with settlement coverage increasing to 65.83 percent and industrial areas to 8.73 percent. Conversely, forest coverage dropped to 9.49 percent, water bodies to 3.27 percent, agricultural areas to 11.92 percent, and open space to a mere 0.77 percent. Over the last two decades, approximately 23,769 acres—or 59.5 percent—of forest cover have been lost in Gazipur due to unchecked development. Gazipur’s rivers, canals, and wetlands, essential to its ecosystem and economy, are under severe threat from pollution and encroachment.  The study identified 247 major encroachment sites and 161 active pollution points in key water bodies, including the Turag, Labanda, Tongi, Mogor, and Chilai rivers. The Turag River, for instance, suffers from industrial runoff from Markas Beel, while the Labanda River is overwhelmed by waste, including plastic facilities, 15 municipal waste lines, and 39 visible industrial waste lines.  Encroachment has also significantly affected Mogor Khal, with 34 incidents recorded, primarily involving commercial activities and soil filling. Illegal brick kilns along the Turag River further aggravate the situation, contributing to pollution and encroachment. Meanwhile, traditional livelihoods such as farming and fishing face mounting threats. The study recommended immediate action from municipal and national authorities to address Gazipur’s ecological crisis.  Stronger environmental policies and enforcement mechanisms are crucial to prevent further degradation and restore the district’s natural balance, it advised.

Workers of four garment factories in Gazipur blocked two highways in Gazipur on Wednesday, protesting retrenchment of workers and demanding payment of dues and reopening of closed factories. Assistant Police Superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police Mosharraf Hossain said worker of  Taratex Limited garment factory in Tongi came out of the factory and blocked Dhaka-Mymensingh highway around 9am, demanding their overdue wages. Upon receiving the news, members of law enforcement agencies along with army personnel reached the scene and removed the workers from the highway after an hour. Workers of MM Knitwear Limited in Konabari area staged demonstration and went on work abstention, protesting retrenchment of some workers for their involvement in previous protests. Members of law enforcement reached there swiftly to bring the situation under control. Md. Azizur Rahman, the factory's security in-charge, and police constable Nahid Hossain suffered injuries when police tried to remove them from highway. In Kashimpur’s Sarabo area, workers of Beximco Industrial Park took to Kaliakair-Nabinagar highway, blocking it from 11:30 am to 4 pm. Police remained alert to prevent further disruption, while factory management negotiates with workers’ representatives to address ongoing grievances.

Only five garment factories out of 1278 in Savar, Ashulia, Gazipur are closed on Monday. There have been no significant disruptions in the garment industry in the major hubs including Savar, Ashulia, Narayanganj, and Gazipur, according to a government source. Only three factories out of a total of 407 in Savar and Ashulia areas remain closed while in Gazipur, two factories out of 871 are closed. Read: All RMG factories to reopen Thursday after safety assurances from Army: BGMEA The overall operation rate in these areas is high, with 99.26% of factories open. The closure rate stands at 0.74%. In Narayanganj, all garment factories are open. Read more: 60 RMG factories declare holiday amid protests in Savar

Traffic movement between Mirpur-14 to Kachukhet in Dhaka resumed around one hour after workers of a readymade (RMG) garment withdrew their blockade demanding arrears on Monday morning. Shah Mohammad Faisal, Officer-in-Charge of Bhashantek police station, said workers of one Uniform Garment factory put up a barricade in front of the factory on the road demanding the current month’s wages around 9:15am, causing long tailbacks on the both sides of the road. Gas cylinder blast kills 3, injures 20 in Lakshmipur The authorities of six or seven factories adjacent to Uniform Garment declared holiday apprehending trouble, he said. The agitating workers left the road upon assurance by the authorities of providing the arrears tomorrow (Tuesday), the OC said.

Three people were killed and two others injured as a speeding truck crashed into a battery-run autorickshaw on Dhaka-Tangail highway in Gazipur’s Kaliakair upazila on Monday (February 19, 2024) morning. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. Naojhor Highway police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shahdat Hossain said the Tangail–bound truck hit the autorickshaw in Sutrapur area, leaving five people including the autorickshaw driver injured. Read: Bus-auto rickshaw collision leaves 7 people dead in Mymensingh Members of fire service and police rescued the injured and took them to Kaliakair upazila health complex where physicians declared three of them dead upon arrival. The rest were undergoing treatment at the hospital, he said, adding that all the victims were passengers of the autorickshaw. Read more: Bus-motorcycle collision leaves one dead in Faridpur

Industries in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj continue to be afflicted by an acute gas crisis, even though Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, the state-owned distributor of natural gas, claims the situation has improved. As reported in the media previously, garments and textiles firms in the industrial belt of these central districts have been suffering from an acute gas crisis for the last few months. “The factories are in dire straits,” a top top-level manager of a group of textile factories in Gazipur told UNB. Most of the industries in Gazipur do not get adequate supply of gas during their operational periods, the most crucial hours during which their machines need to be running. Inadequate supply manifests in the form of low pressure gas flow, he added. FBCCI urges for strengthening oil, gas exploration to ensure uninterrupted supply to industries Low pressure gas flow is akin to low voltage electricity - many appliances won't run, even though an electric charge is present. The textiles group official said that due to the lack of gas supply, production in various factories is being disrupted and they are on the verge of shutting down. In the ongoing gas crisis, important machines like generators and broilers in the dyeing section of the factories are not being run. This has been posing a great risk for the industries to continue their production and pushing them towards huge financial losses. “Many industries would not be able to pay the salaries and festival bonuses during the coming Eid if the situation does not improve,” said an industry owner. Industry insiders said there are more than 300 factories in Kaliakoir and other areas in Gazipur. All these industries have been suffering from the nagging gas crisis and some of them have already suspended their productions. 100% percent prepaid gas meters within four years: Nasrul Hamid Each of the industries has more than 1000 workers. But following the gas crisis, they have to reduce their production target while some of them use CNG at a higher cost to continue their operations. A similar situation is prevailing in the Mirpur, Tongi and Narayanganj areas, said Mohammad Hatem, Executive President, of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA). He said that despite increasing the price, the government is not able to provide adequate gas. “Production in garment factories has come down to half due to non-availability of gas. Many buyers meanwhile are pushing for air shipments as the normal schedule for shipments has failed in keeping the commitment,” he said adding, some buyers are asking for discounts on the rates. More gas likely to be found in Sylhet’s Kailashtila field: Nasrul “Some customers are upset and cancel the order in such a situation,” he noted. Recently the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) has also alleged that no industry in the country is able to run at its full potential due to the gas crisis. A Bangladesh Chamber Of Industries delegation, led by its president Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez), raised the allegation when it met Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun at his ministry office. The lone chamber for industries said the prices of electricity and gas were increased on the pretext of increasing prices on the international market in the hope that the government would ensure their continuous supply. “But despite the declining trend of energy prices in the international market, it is being heard that the prices of electricity and gas will be increased again,” BCI said in a statement. Read more: Govt okays import of LNG cargo from Singaporean firm to meet gas demand It demands for a sustainable solution to the problem. “If a long term plan is given to the industrial sector in terms of power and gas supply, it can move forward accordingly." Titas Gas general manager Arpana Islam admitted the gas crisis. But she claimed that the situation has improved to some extent recently following measures to increase the gas supply. She advised to talk to Petrobangla when asked whether there is any possibility in near future to further improve the gas supply situation. Petrobangla official statistics reveal that in the last one month the total gas supply across the country has increased by just 100 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) or so, leaving a deficit between production and supply of about 1500 mmcfd. The Petrobangla data shows that on February 16 it produced 2671 mmcfd gas including its import from abroad against a demand for more than 4000 mmcfd. The TItas Gas data also shows that about 30 power plants now remained out of operation due to gas shortage. Read more: BNP denounces move to double monthly rent for prepaid gas meters

Two Biswa Ijtema devotees were killed and 11 people were injured when a covered van hit an auto-rickshaw at Shilmun of Tongi in Gazipur on Sunday (February 04, 2024). The deceased were identified as Jony, 18, son of Monir Hossain of South Sadharchar village in Shibpur upazila of Narsingdi, Sohel, 40, son of Kajal Mia of the same village. Read: 3 more devotees die at Ijtema venue  The injured were Firoz ,50, Jahirul Islam, 52, Jisan, 22, Zahid Hasan, 35, Iqbal Hossain, 55, Nazrul Islam, 50, Anisur Rahman, Md. Borhan Uddin,50 and Basir Uddin, 55 and two unidentified people. The condition of the unidentified victims was stated to be critical. Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Tongi East Police Station of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said the accident occurred around 7 pm before the Akheri. 

Gridlock was formed as vehicular movement on Dhaka-Tangail highway remained suspended for over an hour due to workers of garment factories demonstrating in Gazipur’s Konabari area, demanding payment of salaries as per the wages set by the government. Mohammad Ziaul Islam, officer-in-charge of Konabari Police Station, said workers of garment factories in the Konabari area took to the street around 8 am to press home their six-point demand including payment of salary as per the government-announced wage structure. Read: Focus on value addition in RMG industry needed more to enhance global competitiveness: BGMEA President  The other demands include an eight-hour workday instead of ten hours. A long tailback has been created on both sides of the Dhaka-Tangail highway following the demonstration. However, vehicular movement normalised as police drove the demonstrating workers away from the highway after assuring them of taking steps regarding their demands. Read: Despite anticipated challenges in 2024, int’l market demand for RMG products could rise: BGMEA Director