Police on Thursday afternoon dispersed garment workers who blocked Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in the capital’s Uttara area to press home their various demands including wage hike.
Police used batons and sound grenades to disperse the workers, several of whom were injured during the chase, while several vehicles were vandalised, according to witnesses.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Uttara Zone) Ariful Islam Rony said police carried out a mild baton charge and used several sound grenades to clear the highway, forcing the workers to leave the road.
Traffic movement began returning to normal after 12 noon, he said.
Officer-in-Charge of Uttara East Police Station Morshed Alam denied that police used batons or sound grenades against the workers, saying they left the highway on their own.
He also said traffic movement began returning to normal after 12 noon.
The workers blocked the highway in Azampur and Rajlaxmi areas of Uttara at around 9:30am, demanding an increase in minimum wages, timely payment of wages and allowances, and an end to arbitrary layoffs.
The blockade triggered severe traffic congestion on both sides of the highway, leaving commuters and long-distance bus passengers stranded for hours.