RMG workers clash with cops in N’ganj, 30 hurt

At least 30 readymade garment workers were injured in a clash with police in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj today.

The clash took place as the police fired 20 to 25 rounds of teargas shells to disperse the workers who blocked Dhaka-Sylhet highway at Sonargaon demanding their arrears, reports our Narayanganj correspondent.

On information, police rushed there and requested the workers of Opex and Sinha Textile Ltd to withdraw their blockade around 11:00am, said Moniruzzaman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sonargao Police Station.

“Without paying heed to our request, the agitating workers hurled brickbats targeting us, leaving 10 of our police members injured,” the OC said.

“Later we fired teargas shells to disperse the demonstrators from the highway”, the OC added.

On the other hand, the workers claimed that police charged batons, fired teargas shells and rubber bullets on them, triggering the clash that left 30 people injured.

The injured workers received primary treatment from local hospitals, they said.

Earlier around 10:00am, the agitating workers staged a demonstration on the factory premises for their arrears. They also vandalised the factory, the correspondent reports.

The garment authorities were trying to solve the problem through discussion with the RMG workers.

However, Shafiqul Kabir, director of the Opex and Sinha Textile Ltd could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.