Fresh labor unrest disrupted the Ashulia industrial belt on Thursday morning as garment workers took to the streets to demand clarity over upcoming pay rises. The protests prompted management across more than a hundred ready-made garment (RMG) factories to declare an early holiday to safeguard facilities and prevent potential violence.
The trouble began around 8:00 am after workers entered their respective units and punched their attendance cards. Shortly after gaining entry, a section of the workforce walked out and gathered near the entrance gates of neighbouring facilities. Demonstrators urged and eventually compelled workers from adjacent factories to abandon their shifts and join the walkout. As crowds began to swell outside factory premises, industrial authorities opted to suspend operations for the day, sending thousands of workers onto the surrounding roads.
Disruption quickly spread to the main transport arteries of the industrial precinct. Protesting workers staged a block on the key Abdullahpur-Baipail highway, bringing vehicular movement to a temporary standstill. Industrial Police forces intervened at several key points to disperse the crowds, prompting groups of workers to retreat into adjoining side streets where they continued their stand-off.
The core of the unrest stems from widespread uncertainty regarding the pending Minimum Wage Board decision for the RMG sector. While the board is scheduled to formally announce a new pay structure in December, union representatives and workers point out that the exact increment remains unspecified. The absence of a concrete figure has fueled anxiety among the workforce, leading to repeated wildcat strikes across major industrial clusters in Bangladesh.
The situation in Ashulia follows heightened tension in nearby Savar, where violent clashes occurred a day earlier. Demonstrators in Savar had blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway and set fire to a police vehicle and a motorcycle. While Savar remained relatively calm on Thursday morning, law enforcement agencies maintained a heavy presence across the broader industrial district.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel have been deployed alongside local and Industrial Police units to guard key installations. Armoured vehicles remain stationed at strategic intersections across the region to deter further sabotage. Superintendent of Police for Industrial Police-1, Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, confirmed that security forces remain on high alert to maintain public order and protect factory infrastructure.
