20km tailback as RMG workers block highway in Ashulia

A massive 20-kilometre tailback has been created in Dhaka’s Ashulia industrial area due to a road blockade by garment workers from Birds Group.

The protest has paralysed the Dhaka-Aricha and Nabinagar-Chandra highways, along with the Bypail-Abdullahpur road.

The blockade on the Nabinagar-Chandra highway began at 9:30 am on Monday and was still ongoing as of 10:30 am on Tuesday.

The workers are protesting, demanding service benefits and compensation. The continuous blockade has caused severe traffic disruption, leading to immense suffering for commuters.

Many were forced to walk to their destinations, with students and office-goers bearing the brunt of the inconvenience.

According to sources, Birds Group workers initiated the blockade after the company failed to fulfil its commitment to pay service benefits and compensation by 30 September.

The company earlier issued a notice on 28 August, announcing a layoff of all factories in Ashulia's Bypail area. The notice said that August wages would be paid by 10 September, and service benefits and compensation would follow by 30 September. Although wages were paid as scheduled, the promised benefits and compensation were not. Instead, the company requested an additional three months to fulfil these payments, which led to the protest.

There are also allegations that the company offered a bribe of Tk8.5 lakh to labour leaders, despite failing to meet its financial obligations to the workers.

Officer-in-Charge of Ashulia Police Station Abu Bakar Siddique said, "We are trying to negotiate with the demonstrating workers to vacate the road, but they have declared that they will not leave until their demands are met."