Dhaka, Oct. 27 -- Police have persuaded workers blockading the Dhaka-Tangail Highway in Gazipur over higher pay and allowances to leave, after which traffic returned to normal.

Md Amzad Hossain, superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police, said the workers were persuaded to leave the highway around 1pm on Tuesday. Vehicles began moving again at 1:45pm.

Workers of Essential Clothing Limited began protesting around 10am near Kaliakair's Mouchak, initially demanding higher wages before blocking the highway.

The blockade halted traffic along several kilometres of the road.

Police and workers said the workers began their protest outside the factory between 8:30am and 8:45am. They then marched onto the Kaliakoir-Fulbaria road and took posit...