A group of agitated Beximco workers set fire to the factory of Grameen Fabrics and Fashion in Kashimpur of Gazipur on Wednesday evening demanding reopening of 16 closed factories, TBS reported.
Two firefighting units from the Sarabo Fire Station rushed to the scene at 7:00 pm. Later, five more units joined them and the fire was doused around 9:25 pm, Senior Station Officer of Gazipur Fire Service Tasaraf Hossain confirmed the development.
The extent of damage from the fire can be ascertained after investigation, he said.
According to local sources, the agitated workers blocked the Chandra-Nabinagar highway in the afternoon, leading to a complete halt in traffic for about 7 hours. The traffic resumed normal flow after 10:00 pm.
As the situation escalated, protesters vandalised and torched several buses, trucks, and covered vans. They also attacked several nearby shops.
At one stage, some workers stormed the Grameen Fabrics building at Tetuibari after breaking through its gates around 6:40 pm. Once inside, they set the factory ablaze. The fire quickly spread.
Gazipur Metropolitan Police confirmed that law enforcement initially tried to disperse the protesters using tear gas and sound grenades. However, the situation remained volatile until the army and industrial police intervened around 6:15 pm, chasing the agitated workers from both sides of the highway.
Despite their efforts, the protest continued to disrupt traffic on the Chandra-Nabinagar road.
The agitation stems from December 2024, when the interim government decided to close 16 factories under the Beximco Industrial Park due to a lack of orders and significant defaulted loans.
These factories, owned by Salman F Rahman, a former adviser to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, had been facing financial difficulties for months.
Workers have been protesting the irregular payment of wages for a prolonged period.
Wednesday's protest escalated as workers demanded immediate action to reopen the factories affecting over 42,000 employees, reinstate banking services, and address their overdue payments.
bd-pratidin/GR
