Traffic Resumes in Dhaka’s Banani After Seven-Hour Blockade by Garment Workers

Traffic in Dhaka’s Banani and surrounding areas returned to normal after nearly seven hours of disruption today, following a protest by garment workers over the death of a fellow worker in a road accident.

The demonstration, which blocked the Airport Road in Banani, led to severe congestion across Dhaka city, forcing many commuters to walk to their destinations.

According to Banani police, the incident occurred around 6:41 AM near Chairman Bari when a pickup truck ran over Meena Akhter, a garment factory worker. In response, workers from several garment factories took to the streets, occupying the road from Kamal Ataturk Avenue in Banani to Amtoli in Mohakhali, causing a standstill in traffic.

The workers finally cleared the road after nearly seven hours, police confirmed.

The blockade paralyzed traffic not just in Banani but across adjacent parts of Dhaka. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the road, and with no other options, many commuters started walking to their destinations.

Kamrul Hasan, a resident of Cumilla, was on his way to the airport for a flight to Saudi Arabia. Finding no transport, he decided to walk.

“I traveled from Cumilla to Tejgaon by car, but when I heard the road was blocked, I started walking,” he said.

Police later confirmed that the pickup truck involved in the accident was detained near the Tejgaon bus stand after being identified through CCTV footage. However, the driver managed to flee, and efforts are underway to apprehend him.

Protesting workers had three key demands: arrest of the pickup truck driver, compensation for the victim’s family, and assurance of safe road crossings for workers.

Following assurances from authorities, the workers withdrew their protest, allowing traffic to resume.