Industrial Zone Erupts in Protests Demanding Tk 30,000 Minimum Wage; Roads Blocked in Mirpur

Staff Correspondent | 31 October 2026

Workers’ dissatisfaction has spread across the country’s important industrial areas over various demands, including setting a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000. Protests, road blockades and clashes have occurred among ready-made garment workers in various areas of Mirpur in the capital, Ashulia in Savar and Gazipur. The situation has led to production being halted in several factories and traffic disruptions in various areas.

Workers of various garment factories in the capital’s Mirpur started protesting by taking to the streets from Saturday morning (October 31). After the workers took to the Mirpur-10 roundabout area around 10:30 am, they also blocked roads in Mirpur-11, Mirpur-12 and Proshika intersection areas.

The main demand of the workers is that the monthly minimum wage should be fixed at 30,000 taka. Due to their blockade, traffic movement in these areas has practically stopped and severe traffic jams have been created on the surrounding roads. This has caused extreme suffering to working people and ordinary passengers.

Pallabi Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Jalal Uddin said that workers of various garment factories have blocked roads in Mirpur-11 and Mirpur-12 areas. Efforts are being made to normalize the situation by discussing with them. On the other hand, the Mirpur Traffic Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has also reported disruption of traffic in these areas.

Clashes in Ashulia, 25 factories closed

Meanwhile, the situation in Savar’s Ashulia industrial area has also deteriorated due to worker dissatisfaction. Workers’ protests began in various areas including Kathgarh, Jirab, Narsinghpur and Amtala since Saturday morning.

The workers’ demands include setting a monthly minimum wage of Tk 30,000, stopping the unjustified blacklisting of workers, and rehabilitating laid-off workers.

At one stage, the police chased and clashed with the agitating workers. Several people, including six members of the industrial police, were injured, bdnews24.com reported. One of the injured police members is being treated in hospital, The Daily Star reported.

Authorities have declared a holiday in at least 25 ready-made garment factories in different areas of Ashulia to keep the situation under control and avoid any untoward incidents including vandalism in the factories. On the other hand, a report in The Daily Star mentioned the number of factories as around 30.

In addition, three bomb-like objects were recovered from in front of the New Age factory in the Nishchintapur area on the Bypail-Abdullahpur road during the clash. It was not immediately clear who had placed them there, the industrial police said.

Anger over wage board formation behind worker discontent

According to the labor organizations, the demand for a minimum wage of Tk 30,000 has been a long-standing one. In addition, the issue of blacklisting of workers, unfair dismissal, and rehabilitation of laid-off workers has also become an important demand of the movement.

Khairul Mamun, legal secretary of the Bangladesh Garments and Sweaters Workers Trade Union Center, told The Daily Star that although the Minister of Labor and Employment announced the formation of a wage board by October, it has not been implemented. This has created anger among the workers.

He added that a meeting held at the Labor Ministry on Friday night announced the start of the process of forming a minimum wage board by next Sunday. However, the movement continues as the decision of the meeting or the message related to it has not reached the workers properly.

Fear of impact on industrial production and public life

On the same day, worker unrest spread across the capital Dhaka and important industrial areas of the country, raising concerns about the production and supply chain of the ready-made garment industry. The closure of several factories and clashes between workers and police, especially in important industrial areas like Ashulia, have further complicated the situation.

On the other hand, the daily commute of ordinary people is also being disrupted due to the blockade of several important roads in Mirpur.

In addition to workers’ demands for wage increases and employment security, maintaining normal industrial production and law and order has now become a significant challenge for the relevant authorities.