Traffic along the Mymensingh-bound carriageway of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway came to a standstill on Monday morning as hundreds of garment workers staged a protest against a sudden lay-off notice at AMC Knit Composite Limited. Demonstrators converged on the Membar Bari area in Gazipur Sadar Upazila, demanding the immediate reopening of the facility and clear communication regarding their employment status.
The disruption began around 08:00 BST when factory personnel started gathering outside the main entrance. Tensions flared at approximately 10:20 BST after local individuals and scrap-garment (jhut) traders allegedly attempted to prevent the assembly, prompting disgruntled workers to spill over onto the highway. The resulting blockade disrupted vehicular movement for nearly twenty minutes, causing localized tailbacks during peak morning travel hours.
The unrest stems from an official notification posted on Saturday, 10 October, announcing a lay-off across the garment and cutting units (Unit-2) of AMC Knit Composite Limited. According to factory officials, management was forced to suspend operations for approximately 585 workers owing to a critical shortage of production orders and ongoing mechanical issues with the plant’s industrial boilers.
Demonstrators expressed deep frustration over the manner in which the suspension was executed. Employees reported that management initially declared a temporary two-day holiday, only to replace it abruptly with a formal lay-off notice pinned to the factory gate. Crucially, workers alleged that management held no prior consultations regarding outstanding dues, severance arrangements, or operational timelines.
“Everyone has families to feed, rent to pay, and daily household expenses to meet,” explained a protesting operator. “We have been left in total uncertainty without any clarity on whether the plant will ever resume operations. We cannot even decide whether to wait or look for alternative employment elsewhere.”
The situation was brought under control following swift intervention by local law enforcement. Officers from Salna Highway Police Station arrived at the scene, engaged with the demonstrator representatives, and assured them that their grievances would be brought before the relevant authorities and factory management for a fair resolution. Satisfied with these assurances, the workers peacefully cleared the carriageway, allowing traffic flow to normalize.
Speaking on the incident, Salna Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sahabur Rahman confirmed that the highway was obstructed for a brief period. He emphasized that prompt police mediation ensured the peaceful dispersal of the crowd without major congestion, damage to property, or public disorder. Nonetheless, the incident underscores the broader vulnerability faced by ready-made garment (RMG) sector workers in industrial hubs like Gazipur, where sudden operational disruptions frequently trigger severe socio-economic strain for entire households.
