Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway remained suspended for one hour on Tuesday as some retrenched garment workers staged a demonstration blocking the highway demanding reinstatement of their jobs.
The agitated garment workers, who were sacked from various factories located in Bhogra Bypass, Choydana, and Maleker Bari in Gazipur city, gathered on Sataish Road in Tongi on the highway, halting traffic.
They said they were retrenched recently and they have been leading an inhuman life due to unemployment.
However, they also threatened to continue their movement until the authorities concerned take any initiative to reinstate their jobs.
On information, police and Army personnel rushed to the spot and dispersed them from the highway.
Meanwhile, the production of Pritee Garments Ltd was suspended following workers’ unrest.
Besides, a group of workers from Bata Shoe Company Ltd assembled on Tongi Station Road to press home their eight-point demand including fixing Tk 15,000 as basic salary and 20 per cent salary hike every year.
Additional police have been deployed in the area to ensure security.
Mosharraf Hossain, assistant superintendent of Tongi zone, said several hundred workers of different factories staged demonstrations on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway to press home their various demands, disrupting traffic movement for one hour in the morning.
However, later the situation was brought under control, he said.
