Workers at the BSIS Factory in the Dattapara area of Tongi blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in protest of an indefinite closure notice posted at the factory gate. The protest, which began at 8:00 am on Tuesday, has resulted in a complete halt of traffic in both directions, causing significant disruption for commuters.
The workers are demanding the payment of their overdue February salaries, which were expected to be disbursed on Sunday. On Monday, after the factory failed to pay their wages, workers staged a peaceful protest inside the facility. However, upon returning to the factory on Tuesday morning, they discovered the notice indicating an indefinite closure, prompting them to take their grievances to the highway.
As tensions rose, the workers positioned themselves on the highway near Hossain Market, effectively paralysing vehicular movement. Local and industrial police arrived at the scene and attempted to persuade the workers to clear the road, but as of the latest updates, the protest remains ongoing.
The factory management has claimed that the workers engaged in unlawful behavior, including stopping work and creating disturbances on Monday. They cited these actions as the reason for declaring an indefinite closure under Section 13(1) of the Bangladesh Labour Act 2006. The authorities have stated that the reopening date will be announced once a “favorable environment” is restored, although emergency services will continue to operate unaffected by the closure.
The situation remains fluid as both workers and police continue to engage in discussions.
