At least 20 people, including eight lawmen, were injured in a clash between police and apparel workers at Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone in Chittagong on Tuesday evening. Local sources said several hundred workers of Legend Textiles Ltd, a garment factory of KEPZ, imposed blockade on a nearby road around 6:30pm, protesting against a bid to shut the factory. A clash ensued between police and the workers as law enforcers tried to remove the blockade, leaving at least 20 people injured on the spot.Chittagong Industrial police director-in-charge Tofael Ahmed said the authorities were trying to shut the factory on Tuesday without any notice. Meanwhile, the authorities paid salaries for the current month and also the Eid bonus but kept the workers in dark whether they were going to declare lay-off or continue production, Tofael said. As the rumour of closure spread among the workers, several hundred of them blocked Patenga road on Tuesday and started to hurl stones targeting police while EPZ police and industrial police were trying to remove them from the road, he said. Police fired several rounds of rubber bullets and tear gas shells to disperse the agitated workers, Tofael added. EPZ police officer-in-charge Abul Kalam Azad said at least eight police and ansar personnel sustained injury in the clash. They were given primary treatment at BEPZA Hospital, Kalam said. Police took the situation under control within half an hour, the OC said.Locals said around 10 to 12 workers were injured in the clash.
