Employees of Pran-RFL Pabna Products Limited blocked a highway in Ishwardi, Pabna, for nearly three hours on Tuesday, staging protests and a sit-in over labour-related demands. The programme began around 7:30am in front of Pabna Sugar Mill in the Kalikapur area on the Ishwardi-Pabna highway. Traffic was completely halted, creating long congestion on both sides of the road.

The blockade stopped all types of vehicles between Pabna and Rajshahi, Kushtia, Bogura, Rangpur and Ishwardi, causing hardship for passengers. Workers said demands long ignored included timely wages, proper working hours, a provident fund, compensation for workplace injuries, paid maternity leave and allowances, and action against irregularities, corruption and accused officials. Labour leader Nazmul Hossain also demanded full implementation of labour law and other benefits.

Additional Superintendent of Police Pranab Kumar Sarkar and Ishwardi police station officer-in-charge Md Ashadur Rahman held talks with the workers. The blockade was withdrawn after assurances that demands would be raised with senior authorities, and traffic resumed. The company cited a technical fault for delayed July wages and said unpaid workers would be paid soon. It announced a seven-day factory closure to review the demands.