Workers in Gazipur blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway on Wednesday morning, demanding the reinstatement of sacked workers and the recruitment of male workers.
The protest took place in the Bhogra area of Gazipur city, causing a halt to traffic and significant inconvenience for passengers.
To avoid unrest, authorities have declared a holiday for 10 nearby factories, including Interling, Techno Fiver Limited, Euromic Tax Limited, Rua Fashion, and Belmond. The shutdown was announced as a preventive measure against possible disorder.
According to protesting workers, most factories typically hire workers between the 5th and 10th of each month. However, factory authorities have recently posted notices halting recruitment, particularly for male workers.
The protestors claim that despite this, female workers are being recruited in secret. They accuse factory owners of deliberately creating hurdles for male workers, leading to their exclusion. Female workers are also facing layoffs in many factories, adding to the unrest.
The protest started early in the morning, with workers blocking the highway and urging employees from other factories to join them. When they did not receive widespread support, the demonstrators began throwing bricks and stones at nearby factories. Fearing vandalism, the authorities announced a shutdown of the affected factories, leading most workers to return home.
Gazipur Industrial Police Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration) Shahidul Islam confirmed the protest, adding that workers had blocked the highway to press for their demands.
He added that the industrial police were actively trying to negotiate with the workers to clear the road.
