Amid efforts to calm the workers’ unrest, miscreants set fire to a readymade garment (RMG) factory in Kashimpur area of Gazipur on Wednesday.

The fire broke out at the Big Boss factory located in Bhabanipur area around 12:30pm, said Tasharaf Hossain, station master of Kashimpur Fire Service and Civil Defence.

On information, he said two firefighting teams reached the spot but failed to carry out the fire dousing operation due to the agitating workers' barricade and came under attack by the posters, he said.

Earlier in the day, a group of workers of Beximco Group have been staging a demonstration, blocking a road in the area since the morning to realise their demands including unpaid salaries.

At one point, they set fire to the factory and took to the street equipped with sticks in a bid to prevent extinguishing the fire, said an eyewitness.

However, it is not clear who is responsible for the fire, said Tasharaf Hossain.