The overall labour situation in Ashulia and Gazipur industrial belts improved on Tuesday as most of garment factories, except a few, reopened with workers joining the workplace.
Workers of some factories, however, blocked two highways due to non-payment of wages and allowances the same day, sources said.
A long tailback of traffic formed in and around Dhaka-Mymensingh highway following a daylong blockade at Chandana crossing in Gazipur to press home their demand for salary arrears.
Several hundred workers of APL Apparels staged demonstrations on the highway around 8:30 am that ended at 6:30 pm after the factory cleared dues.
Witnesses said the workers first staged protests outside the factory gate in Bhogra area in the morning to demand arrears of three months.
They later moved to the highway to press for the same.
Agitated workers said they had been out on strike on the highway finding no other way as the factory management continued to break their promise to pay arrears several times.
Discontent among ready-made garment workers has raged for the last one month to press for various demands.
Widespread labour unrest in Ashulia left one garment worker killed and several others injured on Monday as they locked into clashes with law-enforcers.
Meanwhile, Ashulia-based garment owners called for beefing up security to bring the situation under control.
According to data, 253 out of 272 BGMEA-registered garment units reopened in Ashulia on Tuesday, while six remained closed in line with labour law provision 13 (1) that stated 'no work no pay'.
However, 13 units suspended operations with paid holiday as workers either did not work or left after joining.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) acting president Abdullah Hil Rakib in a statement reported substantial improvement in the labour situation, thanks to support from joint forces.
Their support has allowed factories to remain operational amid this situation.
Despite the agreement to meet workers' 18-point demands, some factories have experienced disturbances due to rumours and instigations from vested quarters, it said, adding that the number of such incidents was few.
Whenever an issue arises, joint forces promptly intervene to fix problems to ensure that factory operations continue smoothly, reads the statement.
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