Workers from various garment factories in Gaipur’s Sreepur upazila blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway protesting fare hike and lack of adequate public transport on the roads.
They blocked the highway from 7:30am on Monday and lifted it around 9:30am after Mauna Highway police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kamal Hossain assured that they will not be charged with high fares.
The blockade created congestion in both sides, adding to the woes of commuters.
The workers said the government has opened all the factories amid the lockdown but the suspension on public transport continues. As a result, they cannot go to work in time.
Moreover, whatever transport is available charges three times more than usual, the workers added.
Since Saturday morning, thousands of garment workers rushed to reach their workplaces with factories set to reopen on Sunday.
The fear of unemployment has trumped pandemic panic as garment workers returned to their workplaces in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj by road from several districts.
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