Workers block Dhaka-Mymensingh highway over attendance bonus demand

Workers of Mondol Intimates Limited blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Bagher Bazar area of Gazipur sadar upazila today (22 September), demanding an increase in their attendance bonus.

The protest began in the morning, causing severe traffic congestion on both lanes of the highway and disrupting the movement of vehicles, leaving commuters stranded.

The workers have been demanding an increase in the attendance bonus for some time now, said sources. 

Instead of joining work, they took to the streets and blocked the highway.

To bring the situation under control, members of the army and industrial police were deployed at the scene.

In another incident, workers of Asrotex Limited in Gazipur’s Sreepur upazila started a work stoppage from this morning, demanding a minimum attendance bonus of Tk1,000, an increase in tiffin allowance, and salary adjustments based on their grades. 

Discussions between the workers and the factory management are ongoing.

“Workers from two factories are protesting. Mondol Intimates Limited workers have blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway demanding an increase in attendance bonus. We are in talks with the authorities of both factories and hope to resolve the issue soon,” said SM Azizul Haque, assistant superintendent of police at the Sreepur camp of the industrial police.

Efforts to negotiate with the workers and factory authorities are ongoing to reach a resolution, he added.