Traffic resumes on Nabinagar-Chandra highway after 52hrs

After 52 hours of disruption, traffic on the Nabinagar-Chandra highway finally resumed as workers lifted their blockade in Ashulia on Wednesday (October 2) around 12:30pm.

The workers moved off the highway and gathered in front of their factory after receiving assurances from military personnel. 

Law enforcement officials, including the military, arrived at the scene at noon and requested the workers to clear the road. 

Army officers informed the protesters that the chairman of the Birds Group had been detained and emphasised that traffic needed to be restored to bring him to the factory. 

Following this, the workers withdrew from the highway and positioned themselves at the factory's main gate.

Increased law enforcement presence

Additional law enforcement personnel, including police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), have been deployed throughout the Ashulia industrial zone to maintain order.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Savar Circle Shahinur Kabir confirmed that traffic on the highway resumed due to the coordinated efforts of the police, BGB, RAB, and the army, though there is still heavy traffic congestion. 

Traffic police are working to normalise the flow of vehicles.

Prolonged blockade causes widespread disruption

The blockade began on Monday (September 30) when workers from four factories under the Birds Group—Bird's RNR Fashions Limited, Bird's Garments, Bird's Fedrex, and Bird's A&Z Limited—took to the highway at the Bipile point around 8am. 

The workers were protesting the closure of their factories due to unpaid wages. Despite the passage of days and nights, the protesters remained on the road, bringing traffic to a standstill and causing extreme hardship for commuters.