Bangladesh News

A few hundred garment workers of Vertex Fashion Ltd yesterday staged demonstrations and clashed with law enforcers at Mirpur in the city protesting the killing of one of their fellow workers and demanding punishment of those responsible for the death.

During the clashes, at least 10 workers were injured and about eight vehicles were vandalised. Vehicular movement on the road in front of the factory remained suspended for about half an hour creating long tailbacks.

The garment workers started gathering in front of Vertex Fashion Ltd at Mirpur-1 early yesterday morning and blockaded the road around 8:45am protesting the killing of Md Khokan allegedly by a factory staff Wednesday night.

They brought out processions demanding punishment of those who beat Khokan to death and wounded Abdul Malek.

Police from Mirpur and Shah Ali police stations rushed to the spot and charged truncheons to disperse them and the workers hurled brickbats in return. The workers alleged that the law enforcers were siding with the factory owner and staff involved with the beating.

Around 11:00am army personnel reached the spot but stayed put.

The factory authorities held a meeting with around 500 workers on the third floor of the factory from 11:00am till noon. Even though the factory remained open, no workers worked yesterday.

The authorities on Thursday said they would pay Tk 5 lakh to the family of the deceased as compensation. They said yesterday that they would give the wounded Tk 25,000 in compensation for his injuries and pay for all his treatment.

Mukul Hossain Manju, who irons at the factory, said, “Compensation is not a solution… the torture and repression of workers should be stopped.”

He and other workers demanded exemplary punishment of the people involved with the killing and torture.

Deputy Commissioner Anwar Hossain of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mirpur Zone said two accused–manager Nazrul Islam and security guard Abdur Rahim–have been arrested and they are trying to nab others involved in the killing of the worker.

Sub-inspector Nazmul Hossain, the investigation officer of the case, said the two arrestees were produced before a Dhaka court with a 10-day remand prayer and the court placed them on a three-day remand.