Kanchpur erupts in violence on rumour

Kanchpur area in Narayanganj yesterday turned into a battleground as workers of a textile mill flew into fury and clashed with police following a rumour of death of a colleague in an accident.
The enraged workers blockaded Dhaka-Sylhet highway for about two hours and vandalised at least 20 vehicles.
The clash, which left around 50 people including 15 policemen injured, also spilled onto Dhaka-Chittagong highway, halting traffic for half an hour to the suffering of thousands of homebound people.
Sayeda, an employee of Sinha Textile Mill, was injured after a Narsingdi-bound bus hit her around 11:30am while she was crossing Dhaka-Sylhet highway at Kanchpur, police said.
She was taken inside the factory for first aid treatment, but a rumour spread that Sayeda was killed in the crash.
Hearing the news, over 10,000 workers from the factory rushed to the accident spot and went berserk.
They attacked a local police camp and set fire to a motorcycle of a sub-inspector, police and witnesses said.
The workers also hurled brick chips at law enforcers forcing them to baton-charge the agitators. A running battle started between the two sides.
Police had to fire more than 100 teargas canisters and several rounds of rubber bullet to quell the situation, said Sheikh Nazmul Alam, superintendent of police in Narayanganj.
Md Yunus Ali, officer-in-charge of Sonargaon Police Station, Inspector (investigation) Mejbauddin, sub-inspectors Rezaul and Alek, Havilder Borhan, Nayek Mehedi and constable Monwar, Ayub Ali and Noor-e-Alam were among the injured cops.
OC Yunus Ali said they had fired five rubber bullets during the fight.
In connection with the incident, police had arrested six people after identifying them from video footage, he added.
SM Shafiullah, additional superintendent of police in Narayanganj, held the textile mill authorities responsible for the incident.
As the workers blockaded the highway, police requested the factory authorities to inform their employees of Sayeda's condition.
But the authorities did not respond to the call, he added.