Garment workers return to work in Gazipur as BGB and other forces deploy across the industrial belt

Amid ongoing worker unrest over demands for a higher minimum wage, garment workers were seen entering factories across Gazipur from Sunday morning. Members of the BGB, Ansar and SRB have been deployed to keep the law-and-order situation in the industrial belt under control.

Md. Arif Hossain, assistant commissioner (Media and Research Cell) at the Gazipur deputy commissioner's office, confirmed the matter on Sunday morning. He said 13 platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), five platoons of Ansar and eight platoons of the Special Response Battalion (SRB) are in the field under the leadership of 25 executive magistrates.

As of 8:30am, when this report was being written, there was no report of worker protests or road and highway blockades anywhere in the Gazipur industrial area. However, the authorities of six industrial factories in Gazipur have also declared a holiday today.

Arif Hossain added that the law enforcement agencies are working to ensure that no damage is done to state property or to people's lives and property in the name of the movement. BGB members have already taken up positions in the field, and members of the other forces are also ready.

For the past several days, workers from various Gazipur factories had been protesting by blocking the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways to demand higher pay. During that time, agitated workers were accused of setting fire to a police box, a police vehicle and a factory warehouse.

Those protests also saw repeated clashes between workers and law enforcement personnel, in which workers and members of the forces were injured. Several people were detained in connection with the incidents.

The unrest had earlier led the authorities of many Gazipur factories to declare holidays. Meanwhile, a worker named Toufik reportedly died after being beaten while filming a video on his mobile phone during the movement.

On Saturday, November 14, workers from various factories blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway at the Chandra Palli Bidyut area of Kaliakair upazila in Gazipur, protesting over a rumour of a worker's death and their wage demands. Traffic on the highway stopped, creating a long tailback and causing suffering for ordinary passengers.

The blockade led to repeated chases and counter-chases between police and workers. Police fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse the workers. The situation was later brought under control and returned to normal at around 11:30am on Saturday.

Separately, local residents blocked the railway at Rajendrapur station in Gazipur demanding stoppages of the Jamuna and Hawr Express trains. They stopped the Teesta and Jamuna Express trains and forced stoppages, disrupting train services on the Dhaka-Mymensingh railway.

Although there were no reports of protests or blockades in the industrial area on Sunday morning, the administration is keeping watch over the situation. Officials said force members led by executive magistrates remain in the field working to keep the situation under control.