Day 3 underway: Suffering mounts as RMG workers keep Dhaka-Mymensingh highway blocked

Demanding unpaid wages, hundreds of RMG workers of TNZ Group resumed their protest this morning (11 November) for the third day at the Maleker Bari area in Gazipur by blocking the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway — leaving thousands of commuters reeling in massive tailbacks.

The blockade – which started on Saturday morning (9 November) – has caused severe traffic disruptions, virtually disconnecting Dhaka from Tangail, Mymensingh and some other districts.

Long-route buses, private vehicles and different types of cargo vehicles have been left stranded on roughly 20 kilometres of road on both sides of the highway for more than 50 hours.

Yesterday, at least 30 other factories were shut down to prevent further unrest. Due to the blockade, at least 20 factories located in the area announced a holiday today as well.

The protesting workers, many of whom are staying on the road the whole day and overnight in shifts, have refused to withdraw the blockade until they are paid two months' arrears. TNZ Apparels Limited Group operates six apparel factories in the city's Maleker Bari area.

"We worked our fingers to the bone, but they are not paying us. We are demanding what they owe us. We'll go home the moment they pay us," said one of the workers, who spent the night on the road along with his colleagues.

The tailbacks have forced many - travellers and locals - to walk to their destinations.

Passengers and drivers of the vehicles stuck in the tailback have become furious at the government and authorities' lack of effective measures to resolve the crisis.

"Everything must have a limit. An important highway has been closed for three days. But the authorities are doing nothing. This is absolutely unacceptable," said Mymensingh-bound Kalim Uddin as he tried to calm down his child on his lap.

Due to the heavy pressure of vehicles, gridlocks have spread on the roads connected to the highway since last night, as well after Gazipur police started diverting traffic to these alternative routes.

However, the highway's tailbacks did not get longer, as many vehicles have been avoiding this route after learning about the blockade.

Gazipur Metropolitan Police, industrial police, and army personnel are still trying to convince the workers to withdraw from the blockade considering the suffering of thousands of people but to no avail. They now hope the labour ministry and the apparel associations will take the initiative to solve the crisis as soon as possible.

Truck driver Haider started for Chandpur from Mymensingh two days ago but has been stuck with his vehicle, which is carrying perishable items, on the highway for nearly 30 hours.

"I've been on this road for two days. I can't move my truck, I can't go anywhere. Most of the passengers got off the long-route buses they were on and walked to areas where they could find transport. However, the buses are still here. All of us are very frustrated," he said.

"The owner of that garments factory should be arrested immediately. People have lost their patience. How can one highway be closed for three days? The government can resolve this in an hour if they want," said another irritated commuter Shakhawat Hossain.

This morning, hundreds of workers were seen maintaining their barricades in front of the Columbia Garments Limited factory in the Maleker Bari area. Many of them were seen wielding sticks. None of them wanted to talk to reporters about anything except their demand for unpaid arrears.

They also stopped Gazipur Industrial Police-2 Superintendent Sarwar Alam and Gazipur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Nazir Ahmed from talking to reporters separately, demanding they should make their remarks on megaphones.

According to police and workers, six factories under TNZ Apparels Limited Group have outstanding wages for September and October. The factories had been closed since April and, although operations resumed later, management started delaying payment for two months of wages.

They said despite several mediation efforts led by police and military officials following protests, the latest agreed-upon deadline of 7 November came and went without payment – forcing them to take to the streets yet again.

A worker, Abul Kalam, said, "The management keeps making promises and then doing nothing. We've been waiting for our wages for months. We won't leave until we're paid."

"The workers' demand is a logical one. We have heard that the owner is trying to come up with the money. But even we cannot trust the owner anymore because they did not keep their promise multiple times. How do we assure the workers that they will get their dues and ask them to go home?" industrial police Superintendent Sarwar Alam said.

Attempts to get a statement from the TNZ Apparels management were unsuccessful.