Garment workers in Gazipur have returned to their workplaces, while security remains on high alert across the industrial zone amid recent protests over wage demands.
A total of 25 platoons of security personnel have been deployed under the supervision of 25 executive magistrates to maintain law and order, the district administration said on Sunday.
Arif Hossain, assistant commissioner for the Media and Research Cell at the Gazipur deputy commissioner’s office, shared the information on Sunday morning.
According to the administration, the deployment comprises 12 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), five platoons of Ansar and eight platoons of the Special Reserve Battalion (SRB).
As of 10:30am on Sunday, there had been no reports of workers occupying or blocking roads in Gazipur. Traffic was moving normally on regional roads, including the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways.
Workers from different factories were seen arriving at their workplaces in groups, signalling a return to normal activity in the industrial zone.
Arif Hossain said no unrest, damage to public property or threats to public safety would be tolerated.
He stated that BGB personnel had commenced their duties on the ground, while other security units remained on standby to preserve normalcy.
For several days, workers from different factories in Gazipur staged protests demanding higher wages and other benefits. At one stage, they blocked the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways, triggering clashes with police at several locations.
During the unrest, police boxes, police vehicles and a factory warehouse were set on fire, while workers and law enforcement personnel sustained injuries. Several individuals were also detained in connection with the incidents.
Why it matters
The deployment of 25 security platoons underscores the government's resolve to restore order in a key export sector after violent wage protests.