70 Gazipur RMG units shut after worker-cop clash

Law enforcers charge batons on agitating workers of readymade garments factories during a clash in Kaliakoir upazila of Gazipur Sunday. Photo: TV grab

Production at minimum 70 textile and garment factories of Kaliakoir upazila in Gazipur was suspended for today after workers demonstrating for a minimum wage of Tk 8,000 blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway and clashed with police.
The workers also broke down glasses of at least eight factory buildings and 20 vehicles at Chandra intersection in the upazila, reports our Gazipur correspondent.
Police fired at least four teargas canisters and used several sound grenades to disperse the unruly workers, Zakir Hossain, inspector of Gazipur Industrial Police, said adding that none was hurt.
Witnesses said around 20,000 workers of Niagara Textile Limited went on work abstention around 8:30am demanding Tk 8,000 as minimum salary.
Suddenly, they became agitated and vandalised glasses of the building of Niagara Textile Limited.
Then, they went to nearby garment factories of DBL and Noor groups and continued the vandalism.
As some 10,000 more workers of adjacent factories joined them, they blocked the highway around 8:30am, halting transport movement.
The workers hurled brick chips on the law enforcers when police tried to free the highway.
To bring the situation under control, the law enforcers charged batons on the workers and fired teargas shells, the inspector said.
Transport movement on the highway became normal when the workers left the highway in face of police resistance around 9:00am, he said.
Later, the authorities of at least 70 factories including Niagara Textile Limited suspended their production fearing further vandalism, Zakir Hossain said.