Workers block Dhaka-Tangail highway in Gazipur over minimum wage demand, traffic halted after tear gas

In Gazipur, workers demanding an increase in the minimum wage blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway in the Palli Bidyut area on Saturday morning (14 November), leading to repeated chases and counter-chases with police. When the workers later took position on the highway again, traffic came to a halt.

Local sources said the workers tried to block the highway in the morning instead of joining work at their factories.

Members of the law-enforcement forces fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to move the workers away. Chases and counter-chases then began between the workers and police, with clashes and tension continuing intermittently.

Gazipur Industrial Police-2 Superintendent of Police Md Amjad Hossain said the workers tried to block the highway without joining their workplaces, and tear gas shells were fired to move them away.

The police superintendent also said the workers threw brickbats at members of the law-enforcement forces during that time. They were later moved away after a chase.

At around 10am, thousands of workers blocked the highway again and began demonstrating.

According to Superintendent Md Amjad Hossain, traffic on the Dhaka-Tangail highway is currently stopped following the renewed blockade.