Bangladesh News

Several thousand garment workers in the capital’s Mirpur area clashed with police intermittently throughout the day, leaving at least 20 people injured and traffic obstructed for several hours.

Demonstrations for pay rise, medical facilities and immediate payment of arrears paralysed life and trade in the city’s hub of garment industry for the second consecutive day.

Over 400 factories across Mirpur-10, Mirpur-13, Mirpur-14, Pallabi, Sheorapara, Kazi Para and adjacent areas remained closed fearing attack by the workers.

Police charged baton and fired tear gas canisters to disperse the marauding crowds. The demonstrators responded by throwing projectiles, burning tyres and blockading the main thoroughfares.

Yesterday’s violence was the continuation of Monday’s fighting following rumours that two workers of the MBM Garments had been killed by the staff of Opex Style Wears Ltd.

The overnight arrest of a worker named Shakhawat by the Rapid Action Battalion-4 intensified the agitation.

According to eyewitnesses, several hundred workers massed outside MBM Garments at Mirpur-13 at around 8:00am and began agitating for immediate release of Shakhawat who had been leading the movement for eight-point demand.

They set up barricades with electric poles in front of the BRTA office at around 10:00am, disrupting vehicular movement on Mirpur-Kachukhet Road.

Workers from around 100 other factories soon joined their protesting fellows. Split into several groups, they spread to Rokeya Sarani, Mirpur-10, Kachukhet and other adjoining areas.

At around 11, police closed off the road between Mirpur-10 and Kachukhet while the workers were blockading Rokeya Sarani leading to Mirpur-10 roundabout. Chase and counter-chase for hours left some 20 workers injured.

Local said some of the groups were more interested in looting. Taking advantage of the melee, they stole from a number of garment factories in Mirpur 13- and -14.

As things threatened to spiral out of control, two battalions of Bangladesh Rifles were called in at around 2:00pm.

Besides, high officials of police came to the scene and assured the angry workers that Shakhawat would be released. On the assurance, a five-member team of workers went to the Rab office and had Shakhawat freed by 3:30pm.

This all helped calm the workers who ended the day’s programme with a rally in front of MBM factory late afternoon.

Anwar Hossain, deputy commissioner of police (Mirpur Zone), told The Daily Star, “We have been trying our best to keep the situation under control. We believe it is very much their [workers'] right to press home their demands. But they must do so peacefully and remember that unruliness is not expected.”

The demonstrators alleged that the MBM Garment authorities have been giving no attention to their demands forcing the workers to continue the street agitation over the last few days.

At least 100 people including 50 workers and 20 policemen were wounded in clashes Monday.