Gazipur:Garment workers have once again taken to the streets in Gazipur, blocking roads and staging protests to demand a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000. These demonstrations come despite the government's recent formation of a minimum wage board.
According to United News of Bangladesh, police responded to the protests with tear gas shells and sound grenades in an effort to disperse the crowds that had set tyres on fire and disrupted traffic on the Dhaka-Tangail highway. Witnesses reported that industrial police confirmed most factories had reopened on Tuesday morning, allowing workers to return to their workplaces.
Industrial Police Superintendent Amzad Hossain stated that eight individuals were arrested from various locations by noon. Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Nurul Karim Bhuiyan mentioned that around 7 a.m., a group of workers attempted to block the highway in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area, prompting police action.
Authorities from 20 factories declared a holiday for unspecified reasons, ensuring that most workers returned home safely. By 9 a.m., workers were staging demonstrations and setting tyres ablaze in the Naojor area, again halting traffic on the highway. Law enforcement intervened to quell the protests with tear gas and sound grenades.
Sporadic protests were also noted in the Chandra Palli Bidyut and Mouchak areas. The workers maintained their demand for a wage increase but emphasized their preference for a peaceful dialogue over violence.
Meanwhile, leaders and activists from the BNP and its associate organizations positioned themselves along the highways to deter outsiders they claimed were inciting violence. Senior BNP leaders alleged involvement from the banned Awami League in the unrest and vowed political resistance.
Law enforcement agencies remained vigilant to prevent further violence. Additional police, Special Reserve Battalion members, and ten platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh were deployed along the Dhaka-Tangail highway, alongside 25 executive magistrates.
Police reported that they had successfully removed protesters during sporadic demonstrations, restoring calm and normal traffic flow. However, at least 4,000 individuals were named in cases related to recent violence, with 30 arrests made.
In a separate development, the Kaliakair upazila administration issued a public notice advising local property owners against providing shelter to outsiders.