UNO, cops among 30 hurt

At least 30 people, including local UNO and nine cops, were injured in a clash between police and power loom workers following protest over frequent load-shedding by the workers in Araihazar upazila on Monday night.
The workers vandalised at least 10 vehicles after blocking the Dhaka-Gopaldi road in the upazila.
The law enforcers had to charge batons on the workers and also fired at least 40 bullets to bring the situation under control, said Ashrafuzzaman, sub-inspector (SI) of Araihazar Police Station.
Some 4,000 to 5,000 workers are involved with over 100 power loom factories in the upazila. They get their payment based on production.
Their payment has been decreased in these days following the frequent power cuts, the workers claimed.
Protesting the load shedding, the angry workers brought out a procession in the upazila around 7:30pm and also attacked a Palli Bidyut sub station at Mahmudpur.
Later, they blocked the road and vandalised the vehicles, said the SI.
On information, police rushed to the spot to quell the demonstrators. To disperse the agitators, the law enforcers charged truncheons on them triggering clash that left 30 people injured.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sarwar Hossain and nine policemen, including SI Kawsar were also the injured during the clash.
Vehicular movement on the road remained suspended for two hours till 9:30pm following the clash.