Workers lift blockade on Dhaka-Aricha highway at Hemayetpur after two hours

Garment workers who had blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway at Hemayetpur in Savar for two hours withdrew the blockade at 5:40pm. After they left the road, traffic on the highway gradually began returning to normal.

The workers said they decided to withdraw the blockade considering the suffering of passengers waiting in the tailback caused by the blockade.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, the workers had begun protesting with demands including setting the minimum wage for ready-made garment workers at 30,000 taka and ending blacklisting.

Eyewitnesses and police said workers from several factories in the area gathered at noon on Tuesday at Padmar Mor on the Hemayetpur-Singair road in Savar. Police tried to persuade them and move them off the road.

At one stage the workers moved from there and, at around 3:30pm, blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway in the Hemayetpur area and began demonstrating.

The blockade created long tailbacks on both sides of the highway. After about two hours of this, the workers left the road at 5:40pm and traffic resumed.