RMG workers block highway protesting death of coworker

At least 400 garment workers blocked the bypass from the Chandana intersection on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Gazipur yesterday morning, following the death of a female worker at a garment factory.

The protest began at 8:15am, disrupting traffic and causing severe congestion.

Traffic flow on the highway returned to normal at 11:30am, according to Gazipur Traffic Police ADC Ashok Kumar Pal.

Afsana Akhter, 22, from Nandail upazila in Mymensingh, who worked as a junior operator at Panorama Apparels Limited, went to the rooftop of the factory building on Sunday afternoon, said Wahiduzzaman, Gazipur Industrial Police's assistant superintendent of police.

Soon after, her body was found inside the factory compound.

The factory authorities then obtained the CCTV footage which shows that the woman jumped off the building, the police official confirmed.

Meanwhile, Hridoy, the husband of the deceased, was picked up by the police on Sunday night.

Police suspect that the victim's actions were instigated due to problems with the husband, added ASP Wahiduzzaman.

However, workers yesterday started a protest claiming that the factory was responsible for Afsana's death, the police official said.

The workers blocked the highway, set fire to motorcycles, bicycles, and private cars in front of the factory.

The workers ended the protest after authorities showed them the footage, he said