Tensions have flared once again across the key industrial zones of Gazipur as garment factory workers took to the streets to demand higher wages, disrupting normal operations and forcing management to shutter several manufacturing units.
The unrest unfolded on Sunday afternoon in the Jorun area under the Konabari police jurisdiction. According to eyewitnesses and local law enforcement officials, workers from a major garment facility initially reported for their morning shifts as usual. However, by midday, agitation began to build, prompting workforce members to walk off the shop floor and assemble outside the factory gates to push for a substantial upward revision of their monthly pay structure.
The demonstration quickly gained momentum as protesting workers marched toward neighbouring ready-made garment (RMG) units, urging fellow labourers to lay down their tools and join the rallies. Facing potential escalation and safety risks, authorities at several adjacent factories swiftly announced a temporary closure for the remainder of the day. The crowds subsequently swelled, spilling onto major regional thoroughfares and causing considerable disruption to localized traffic.
Law enforcement agencies, including members of the Industrial Police, responded promptly to the developing situation. To control the crowds and restore public order, officers deployed tear gas canisters and sound grenades, successfully dispersing the gathered marchers from key intersections.
Similar strikes and street demonstrations were recorded across other major manufacturing clusters in the district, notably around the Palli Bidyut and Kashimpur belts. At Palli Bidyut, workers from a prominent apparel unit staged a coordinated walkout over similar pay grievances, prompting management to suspend operations for the day to safeguard infrastructure.
Senior officers confirmed that security measures have been heightened significantly to avert further disruption. Mohammad Amjad Hossain, Superintendent of Police for Industrial Police Zone-2 in Gazipur, stated that security personnel intervened swiftly to restore calm and that additional police detachments have been stationed throughout vulnerable sectors, including Konabari, Kashimpur, and Jorun.
Bangladesh’s garment industry, which accounts for the vast majority of the country’s export earnings, has repeatedly witnessed labour agitation over rising living costs and inflationary pressures. Gazipur serves as one of the country’s primary industrial hubs, housing hundreds of export-oriented factories that supply major global retail brands. Authorities and factory owners remain on high alert as negotiations between worker representatives and industry stakeholders continue to hang in the balance.
