Demonstration for Arrears
RMG worker killed as cops open fire; 16 hurt
A Correspondent, Gazipur
A female garment worker was killed and 12 other workers were injured as police opened fire and charged baton on the workers demonstrating for overtime arrears and monthly salaries in front of their factory in Gazipur last night.Four policemen were also hurt in the incident at Board Bazar. Sources said the 25-year-old Asma Akhtar from Patuakhali, worker of Fortuna Apparels Ltd, received a bullet in the back during firing. She was rushed to a local hospital where doctors declared her dead. Witnesses said the workers vandalised six vehicles on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway following the police action on them. According to the workers, the police fired 20-25 rounds of bullets. But Superintendent of Police of Gazipur Alamgir Alam told The Daily Star last night that the law enforcers fired five shotgun shells to disperse the demonstrators. Around 2,000 workers went to the factory yesterday to collect their overtime bills and salaries for the month of April and came to know that the management had curtailed their overtime work to 30 hours from 80 hours. The workers thronged the factory following Saturday's deal that their outstanding overtime wages since March and salary of the last month will be paid by Tuesday. Witnesses said the angry workers started agitation and at one stage came out of the factory and blockaded the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway at 5:00pm for around two and a half hours. The police tried to convince the demonstrators to leave the highway. They opened fire as the demonstrators did not pay heed to them and continued chanting slogans demanding their outstanding arrears. Other joint forces agencies present on the spot charged baton to disperse the demonstrators. Factory Chairman Engineer Taher, however, denied the allegation of cutting off the overtime arrears. "We have paid arrears to some workers today [Sunday] and all the bills will be paid by Tuesday. I do not know why the workers staged the demonstration," he said last night. The workers of the garment factory also blockaded the highway on Saturday, demanding payment of the arrears. Later, the joint forces struck the deal between the workers and factory officials and the workers lifted the blockade. A three-member committee was formed to probe the incident. A team of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) last night went to Gazipur to assess the situation. Joint forces were deployed in the area yesterday to check further untoward incident.
| 
