Workers block highway demanding reopening of 2 closed factories in Gazipur

Workers block Dhaka-Tangail highway in Konabari area

Gazipur, Dec 23 - Workers blocked Dhaka-Tangail highway in Konabari area of Gazipur city on Monday, demanding the reopening of two closed factories.

Workers of MM Knitwear Limited and Mamun Knitwear Limited staged demonstrations on the highway around 9:25 am, said Superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police-2, Md. Mizanur Rahman.

Industrial police have been deployed at the spot, he added.

Police and protesting workers said  the authorities declared the indefinite closure of MM Knitwear and Mamun Knitwear Limited on December 18.

On Sunday, workers gathered at the factory gates to demand their reopening and they temporarily ended the protests after the factory authorities agreed to discuss the matter later in the afternoon.

During the meeting, the authorities proposed reopening the factories under certain conditions but the workers rejected the offer.

On Monday morning, workers resumed their protests in front of the factories and later blocked the highway, leading to severe traffic congestion.

The protesting workers demanded unconditional reopening of the factories and withdrawal of cases filed against them.

Earlier, on December 17, workers stopped work demanding the withdrawal of a case filed against them.

Later the authorities declared the indefinite closure of the factories on December 18.

The case was filed on November 3  when some workers allegedly assaulted a member of the Industrial Police.

The Industrial Police later filed the case against five named people and 50-60 unidentified workers.-UNB