There were also reports of workers vandalising shops and hospitals in the protest also called over the death of two garments workers
Amid the three-day blockade announced by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami over their demand for a polls’ time government, agitating garments workers have been clashing with police in Gazipur since morning to push home their own demand for a hike in the minimum wage.
The garment workers vandalised and set another police box in Safipur area on fire. Earlier in the morning, the agitating workers vandalised a police box in Chandra area.
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Police lobbed tear shells, rubber bullets, and sound grenades to disperse the protesters.
Meanwhile, the RMG workers launched an attack in a private hospital at Shafipur. They also torched a showroom of Walton and a pickup van in Chandra area.
Being informed, firefighters rushed to the spot and doused the fire.
Witnesses said, the protesting workers also vandalised a police outpost and several shops in Mouchak area.
In addition to the police, members of RAB and BGB are also deployed in these areas to maintain law and order and ensure the situation remains stable.
Early in the morning, the workers had blocked the Dhaka-Tangail Highway also to protest the death of two garments workers yesterday.
As the protests spread, areas near the highway turned into a battlefield.
Workers had blocked the highway around 9:00am.
Nasir Uddin Bhuiyan, inspector (administration) of Gazipur District Traffic Police, told The Business Standard, “Thousands of workers gathered and vandalised two police boxes belonging to our district traffic police. All the furniture in both boxes was completely destroyed by the fires.”
Md Alauddin, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defense Directorate (zone-4), said the agitating workers had been setting fires at different locations, including the police box and the Walton showroom since morning.
“Our team promptly arrived at the scene and successfully extinguished these fires,” he added.
He further said, “We have multiple teams on standby in the Kaliakoir-Shafipur area. As soon as we receive information, we are responding promptly.”
Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Gazipur Fire Service, told TBS that there have been numerous minor incidents of fires since morning, and they have been actively responding since then.
“It might take some time to compile a complete list of arson incidents. All our teams are fully prepared and actively engaged in addressing these incidents,” he said.
According to police and other sources, a significant number of garment factories in these areas have been officially closed due to the labour unrest.
Mohammad Sarwar Alam, superintendent of police for Ashulia Industrial Police-1, said the ongoing labour unrest in Ashulia has been incited by a vested quarter.
Speaking with reporters in Ashulia’s Jamgora area today, he said, “The majority of the workers here are peaceful and law-abiding. Many workers have joined work, and operations are continuing in several locations. However, there are instances of unrest among some workers who are essentially being influenced and agitated by various external sources.”
He went on to say, “We have already identified some of these provocative groups. It appears that the unrest is being incited from Dhaka.”
He also stated that police are dispersing the workers who are engaged in the unrest and they are actively working to deter them from participating in any violent activities.
Two factories, 4 vehicles torched in Kaliakoir
The agitating garment workers allegedly set fires to two factories and four vehicles during today’s protests in Kaliakoir.
Witnesses said, the protesting workers reportedly carried out vandalism at Fortis Limited and Lida Textile in Boardmil area on Tuesday afternoon. Being informed, firefighters rushed to the spot and doused the flames.
Md Alauddin, deputy assistant director of the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defense, told The Business Standard, “Amid the protests, a garage and four vehicles in Lida Textiles Limited were set ablaze around 1:30pm. Later, a warehouse of Fortis Limited was also burned around 2:30pm.”
However, statements regarding the fire and the extent of the damage could not be obtained from both the management of the two factories and the local police.
The government has asked factory owners to agree to the minimum wage they set.
Earlier on Monday, at least two people were killed and about 40 injured in massive clashes between police and ready-made garment workers in several industrial areas in Ashulia, Savar, and Gazipur.
Several police officers were also injured in the clashes.
One of the deceased is Russel Hawlader, 25, an electrician at the Design Express Limited, who was shot dead during a clash in Gazipur.
Russel’s coworkers alleged that he was shot dead by police, which the police did not confirm.
Garment workers have been protesting for a week demanding a minimum wage of Tk23,000, despite efforts by the government, workers’ leaders, and owners’ associations to normalise the situation.
On 21 October, readymade garments factory workers demanded that their minimum wage be increased from the existing Tk8,000 to Tk20,390 while the owners have proposed to increase it to Tk10,400.
Following yesterday’s clashes, State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian said the minimum wage for ready-made garments workers would be set higher than that proposed by the factory owners.
