10 more RMG factories face labour unrest
At least 20 people were injured yesterday in clashes between law enforcers and workers of 10 garment factories in the capital's Mirpur with the labour unrest continuing for the fourth day over pay hike.
Several hundred workers put barricades on the road at Mirpur Section-13 and 14 at around 10:00am bringing vehicular movement to a halt there for about two hours.
Police charged baton to disperse the agitating workers, who retaliated by pelting them with brickbats, said witnesses.
The angry workers got involved in chase and counter-chase with law enforcers for nearly two hours turning the entire area into a battleground.
Meanwhile, 10 of the 20 garment factories in Kafrul, which remained closed for three days, resumed production yesterday.
Delwar Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kafrul Police Station, said unruly employees of some garment factories tried to put barricade on the road to press home their demand for pay rise.
Several law-enforcers were injured as unruly workers attacked them for trying to disperse the agitators, Delwar said.
On Thursday, local lawmaker Kamal Ahmed Majumdar had talks with several labour leaders and the owners of a few garment factories on Ali Hossain High School field.
He urged the agitating workers to return to their work assuring them that he would discuss their demands with the owners of garment factories in his constituency.
The lawmaker also asked them to refrain from any act of vandalism or putting blockades on the road.
The workers welcomed the lawmaker's assurance but demanded a concrete statement from the factory owners.
Labour leader Atiq Ullah told The Daily Star, "We want a specific declaration from the factory owners. Our agitation will continue until they make a commitment."
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