Garment workers' protest paralyses Mirpur; three metro rail stations shut

A movement and clashes involving garment workers in the capital's Mirpur have affected public life across the whole area. With the main roads blocked since Sunday morning (November 1), traffic has come to a halt. Amid the protests, a police vehicle was also set on fire beneath a metro station in Mirpur. Altogether, daily life in Mirpur has effectively ground to a standstill.

From the morning, workers' protests spread across Mirpur-10, 11, 12 and 14 and surrounding areas, shutting down traffic on the main roads. As the situation heated up towards noon, the authorities temporarily closed the Mirpur-10, Mirpur-11 and Pallabi metro rail stations for safety reasons. As a result, communication has been disrupted on both road and rail.

The suffering of local residents has been compounded by the security gates at the entrances to branch roads in Mirpur's residential areas. With the gates kept locked because of the movement, no vehicle — rickshaw or motorcycle — can enter the areas. Pedestrians can only pass on foot through pocket gates, and many people have had to find alternative routes to travel from one area to another.

Parents faced particular trouble fetching their children from school. Mohammad Shawon set out to bring back his daughter, a fifth-grader at Hid School near the Mirpur-11 bus stand. Unable to take any vehicle, he had to walk to the school instead.

The parent, Md Shawon, said: 'My daughter studies in class five at Hid School at the 11 No. bus stand. I am going to fetch her. I cannot go by rickshaw, so I have set out on foot. I keep calling the school, but no one answers the phone. I cannot reach anyone. Now I have no choice but to go there directly and bring my daughter back.' Shawon is not alone — many parents have grown anxious about their children's safety as the movement and the traffic shutdown continue.

Meanwhile, many passengers who wanted to rely on the metro rail because the roads were closed also had to turn back, as the Mirpur-10, Mirpur-11 and Pallabi stations were shut. Asadul Islam, a private-sector employee walking from Mirpur-12 towards Farmgate and Karwan Bazar, said: 'There are no vehicles on the road. I thought I would go by metro, but when I arrived I found the metro station locked too. Now there is no option but to walk in this sun.'

Raisa Akter, a university student stranded near the station, said: 'I understand it was closed for safety reasons, but there is no end to the suffering of ordinary people like us. I was going to sit an exam; now I do not know how I will get there.'

Pressure of vehicles has also increased on Mirpur's alternative roads and inner lanes. Those affected have complained that rickshaw and motorcycle fares have been raised several times over. People who stepped out for urgent needs are waiting at various intersections for transport, but in many areas no vehicle can be found at all because of the situation.

Assistant Commissioner (AC) Mahfuzul Haque Bakshi of the DMP's Traffic Mirpur Division said: 'There has been a movement on the roads, which has severely disrupted traffic. There were blockades at various places since morning, so vehicles could not move. There is heavy pressure on the roads. Traffic police are working to bring the situation under control.'

Whether going to work, stepping out for an urgent need, or bringing a child home from school, residents of Mirpur have suffered in every respect. They remain uncertain about when the situation will return to normal.