Traffic on the Dhaka-Tangail highway resumed on Sunday after a five-and-a-half-hour blockade by garment workers demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000 in Kaliakair, Gazipur.
The situation came under control following the intervention of law enforcement agencies after a second consecutive day of protests, vandalism and clashes that left at least 32 people injured, including workers, police personnel and journalists.
The reopening of the highway brought relief to long-distance passengers and transport operators stranded by the disruption.
Workers from garment factories in Safipur and surrounding areas of Kaliakair took to the streets around 8:30 am, blocking the highway and triggering tailbacks stretching several kilometres.
The protests escalated into violence, with incidents of vandalism and arson reported at several locations.
During the unrest, Jamuna Bank and other establishments in the Palli Bidyut area were attacked. Police boxes in Mouchak and Konabari were set on fire, along with a police vehicle outside the Ansar Academy.
Production was disrupted as at least eight to 10 factories in Safipur, Mouchak and nearby areas declared holidays amid the unrest.
Two journalists were also assaulted while covering the protests in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area.
They were identified as Deepto Television’s Gazipur correspondent Jahangir Alam and Daily Kaler Kantho’s Kaliakair correspondent Mahbub Hasan Mehedi.
The journalists were beaten, and their cameras and mobile phones were snatched by protesting workers, according to the report.
Five platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed along the Gazipur section of the Dhaka-Tangail highway to contain the unrest.
BGB personnel are working alongside industrial police in Konabari, Safipur, Kaliakair and surrounding areas.
Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Mohammad Amjad Hossain said BGB personnel would remain deployed until 7 November, with additional forces available if necessary.
Kaliakair Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Shahidul Islam told the Times of Bangladesh that at least 30 people had been injured during the protests.
He said police remained on alert to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, the government announced a new wage board on Sunday in response to the workers’ demands.
Following the announcement, labour leaders called off the protests and urged workers to return to their workplaces.
