Pharmaceutical company workers stage demo blocking Dhaka-Tangail highway

Vehicular movement on Dhaka-Tangail highway remained suspended for four hours on Saturday as the workers of two pharmaceutical companies staged demonstration on the highway in Kaliakoir upazila of Gazipur district to press-home their 21-point demand.

Hundreds of passengers traveling on the highway suffered as vehicular movement was disrupted following the protest.

The workers of Apex Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd took to the streets at Harinhati and Board Bazar areas around 5AM on Saturday and put up barricades on the highway.

The demonstration was held under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Labour Rights Movement. They also threatened to continue their movement until their demands are met.

Their demands include wage hike, permanent job and two-day holiday in a week. They also claimed that the authorities of the two factories threatened job cuts if they raise any logical demand in support of them.

A long-tailback was created on both sides of the highway.

Golam Morshed Khan, assistant superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police, said members of Army, BGB and police went to the spot and brought the situation under control around 9:30AM.