N’ganj sanitation workers block road over assault

Sanitation workers in Narayanganj’s Fatullah staged a one-hour blockade on the Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road on Friday in protest against the alleged assault of several workers involved in collecting household waste.

Police later intervened, brought the situation under control, and assured the protesters that legal action would be taken, prompting them to withdraw the blockade.

The demonstration took place around noon in front of the Riya Gop National Cricket Stadium in Fatullah.
The road blockade caused severe traffic congestion, leaving commuters and local residents stranded.

Many people reportedly abandoned their vehicles and walked three to four kilometres to reach their destinations due to the lengthy traffic jam.

According to the sanitation workers, around 600 waste collection vans operating under Fatullah Union and Narayanganj City Corporation collect household waste and dispose of it at a privately owned dumping site on Markaz Road in the Lamapara area.

When the vehicles require repairs, they are usually serviced beside the road in front of the Riya Gop National Cricket Stadium.

The workers alleged that on Wednesday afternoon, while several vans were being repaired, a man identified as Himel, son of Atabur of Lamapara, demanded that the vehicles be removed from the roadside before allegedly assaulting several sanitation workers.

The workers said they retaliated, leading to a confrontation.

On Thursday evening, both sides attended a mediation meeting involving local community leaders in an attempt to resolve the dispute.

However, the sanitation workers alleged that during the meeting, Himel and a group of his associates attacked 10 to 12 workers indiscriminately. They said the community leaders later advised them to seek legal action, after which the workers organized Friday’s road blockade.

Local residents alleged that an organised group extorts nearly Tk 100,000 a day from the approximately 600 waste collection vans.

They claimed that Himel and his associates had been demanding a share of the extortion proceeds and had repeatedly harassed and abused sanitation workers over the issue. The allegations could not be independently verified.

Anwar Hossain, Investigation Inspector of Fatullah Model Police Station, said police had received the workers’ complaints and assured them that legal action would be taken. Following the assurance, the protesters withdrew the road blockade.