Garment workers continued protests demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000 in Dhaka's Mirpur, Ashulia, Savar and Gazipur on Tuesday, blocking highways and clashing with police, prompting more than 300 factories to declare holidays.
According to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), 306 factories in Mirpur, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Ashulia and Zirani declared holidays until 11am, affecting 694,793 workers.
Workers again blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Hemayetpur, Savar, around 3:30pm, disrupting traffic.
Mohammad Ruhul Amin Sohel, inspector (administration) of Dhaka District North Traffic Police, confirmed the blockade to The Business Standard.
In Mirpur, workers gathered beneath the Mirpur-11 metro station around 10am. Clashes erupted when police attempted to disperse them.
Protesters threw brickbats at police, who responded with tear gas and sound grenades. After nearly an hour of clashes and chases, the protesters retreated into nearby alleyways.
Traffic on the Pallabi-Mirpur-10 road returned to normal around 11:30am. Police detained at least four people during the incident.
Metro rail services at Mirpur-10 and Mirpur-11 stations were disrupted for around 40 minutes, with trains temporarily skipping the stations from 11:50am.
Additional police personnel were deployed across Mirpur, while a water cannon and two armoured personnel carriers were kept on standby at Mirpur-10.
DMP Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Towhidul Arif said miscreants had infiltrated the workers' movement and warned that those involved in violence would face strict action.
Separately, DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner Niaz Mehdi said 33 members of the Awami League and its banned associate organisations were arrested over the past 24 hours for allegedly posing as garment workers.
The Ashulia industrial zone remained tense in the morning as workers continued protesting for higher wages.
Intermittent clashes and chases between workers and police began around 9am at several points along the Baipail-Abdullahpur road.
Police fired tear gas to disperse workers attempting to gather in front of factories and block nearby roads.
Industrial Police-1 Superintendent Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan said 60 to 70 factories in the area had declared holidays following the unrest.
Several factories, including a Ha-Meem Group facility in Narsinghapur, announced holidays after workers reported for their shifts and staged work abstentions.
By 3pm, the situation in Ashulia had returned to normal, with no further reports of clashes or road blockades.
Two cases have been filed with Ashulia Police Station over attacks, vandalism and unrest linked to the protests, with 1,000 unidentified people named as accused.
Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Tarikul Islam said three people had been arrested in connection with the cases.
Savar Model Police Station OC Md Saiful Alam said nine people had been arrested over unrest in the area during the past two days.
Garment workers attempted to block the Dhaka-Tangail Highway at several points in Gazipur, disrupting traffic and prompting the deployment of additional law enforcement personnel.
Authorities declared holidays at more than 50 garment factories across the district to prevent further violence.
Around 9:30am, workers of Panasia Clothing Limited and Diganta Sweater blocked the highway in the Naojor area of Gazipur city.
They dumped roadside waste on the highway and set it on fire, bringing traffic between Joydebpur Chowrasta and Naojor intersection to a complete halt.
Even small vehicles, including auto-rickshaws and motorcycles, were prevented from passing.
Protesters also prevented journalists from taking photographs and recording videos.
Meanwhile, a bus was set on fire in the Tetuljhora area around 3am. Police are preparing to file a case over the incident.
Despite the continued unrest, workers maintained their demand for a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000.
