50 hurt in cop-RMG worker clash
Garments workers hurl brick chips while law enforcers throw teargas canisters during a clash at Savar, on the outskirt area of the capital, Monday morning demanding TK 8,114 minimum monthly wage. Photo: STAR
At least 50 people were injured, five of them bullet-hit, as the apparel workers clashed with law enforcers in Ashulia and Savar, on the outskirts of the capital, demanding Tk 8,114 as minimum wage.
Of the victims, condition of Babul, a worker of AM Design Limited, stated to be critical, reports our Savar correspondent.
Babul sustained wounds of seven rubber bullets and has been referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital from Women and Children Health Centre in Ashulia.
Following sporadic clashes, production at over 100 garment factories in the demonstrating areas remain suspended for today.
The violence was reported from Jamgarah, Shimultola, Gorat, Pukurpar, Ghoshbagh, Narshingpur in Ashulia and Hemayetpur in Savar.
Meanwhile, three platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh have been deployed in Gazipur and one each in Ashulia and Savar since the morning following the last three days' unrest in the industrial belt of the apparel sector.
Thirty-two garments and knitting factories remain shut for today at Konabari and Kashimpur in Gazipur over the last three days unrest.
A group of workers at Konabari tried to block Dhaka-Tangail highway around 7:00am but they dispersed sensing the presence of the BGB troops.
ASHULIA, SAVAR
The demonstration started around 9:00am when around 12,000 workers from different garment factories from the areas took position in front of their units.
The workers of Envoy, Palmal Group and The Rose Dresses Ltd of Ashulia and Standard Group of Savar are demonstrating, said Md Shahidullah, a senior deputy director of Industrial Police.
The clashes ensued when the agitating workers started to hurl brick chips on their factories locating beside the Dhaka-Tangail highway and also on-duty law enforcers, said the police official.
At one stage, they tried to block the highway, prompting the law enforcers to charge batons on them to disperse them, said Md Shahidullah.
To take the situation under control, the law enforcers fired rubber bullets and lobbed teargas canisters.
They locked into sporadic clashes since 9:00am that ended around 10:30am in Ashulia and Savar, reports our Savar correspondent.
Three of the four bullet-hit injured were admitted at Women and Children Health Centre while another took primary aid from the health centre.
The authorities of over 100 garment units shut their production for today fearing vandalism.
Meanwhile, two platoons of BGB forces were deployed at Ashulia and Savar since 8:00am to avert further vandalism, said Md Liakat Ali, assistant commissioner.
GAZIPUR
Unruly workers of garment and knitting factories staged demonstrations and clashed with the law enforcers at Konabari and Kashimpur for the last three days demanding their factories to be reopened and pay hike for per piece production.
Three platoons of BGB have been deployed since 6:00am at Konabari, Kashimpur and Jarun Road following the last three days' unrest, said Sanjit Kumar Roy, additional superintendent of police.
Meanwhile, the authorities of 32 garments and knitting factories shut the production at their units with any prior notice, reports our Gazipur correspondent.
The production of those factories had remained suspended yesterday too.
A group of workers at Konabari tried to block Dhaka-Tangail highway around 7:00am. But they dispersed sensing the presence of the BGB men.
Most of the shop owners kept the shutters of their business down at Konabari and Kashimpur since morning, fearing vandalism and looting.
They however opened their shops after 10:00am as the BGB men were seen patrolling the trouble-torn areas, witnesses said.