Mango Tex, a concern of SM Sourcing, has promised to pay Tk5 lakh to the family of Kawsar Hossain Khan, who was killed during a clash between workers and law enforcers in Ashulia today
“We also decided to pay his family Tk5 lakh for their support as it was a big loss for them and our family,” Mango Tex Managing Director Mirza Shams Sakti told The Business Standard.
“His [the worker’s] body is at Suhrawardy Hospital for postmortem. Our top officials are there with the body,” he added.
Mirza Shams said Kawsar was a swing operator at the factory.
He alleged that some outsiders brought a procession near the Mango Tex factory. Later workers from the factory joined them, leading to the closure of the factory.
Mirza said Kawsar died about 45 minutes after in a clash with law enforcement agencies in front of a Mondol Group factory.
Kawsar’s body will be sent to his village home at Mehendiganj in Barishal.
Some other workers were injured in the clash.
“They are being treated at Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar. We are taking care of them and paying their treatment costs,” he added.
“Three people with gunshot wounds were brought to our hospital around 1:00pm, one of whom was already dead,” Yusuf Ali, duty manager at Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar, told TBS earlier in the day.
More two were brought later on, both workers were part of the Natural Indigo factory.
Unrest began with false rumours of two workers’ death: BGMEA
Meanwhile, in a statement in the afternoon, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said in the presence of the army, a discussion between the owners and the workers’ representatives was going on in the factory of the Mondol Group in the Jirabo area of the Tongi-Ashulia-EPZ road.
BGMEA said at that time, some outsiders spread false rumours about the death of two workers of the group and demonstrated outside its factory. Later workers from other factories also started gathering there.
Later a clash ensued between law enforcers and the workers.
“The outsiders and workers vandalised a few cars of the law enforcers. Later, when the workers became more agitated, the law enforcement forces members were forced to fire in self-defence,” claimed the BGMEA statement.
It also said several workers and members of law enforcement agencies were injured in the clash.
“The injured workers were admitted to the local PMK Hospital and Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar. The doctor on duty at Enam Medical declared the labourer Kawsar Hossain Khan dead. He is a factory worker of Mango Tex Limited in the Jirabo area of Ashulia. BGMEA is deeply saddened by the loss of workers,” reads the statement.
At least 11 injured members of law enforcement agencies are currently under treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), said BGMEA.
