Bangladesh News

Clashes between garment workers and Ansars at Nayarhat in Ashulia yesterday left at least four people injured including two by gunshots.

For overnight assaults on two of their fellows, the workers of Biswas Synthetic Ltd attacked the Ansar camp on the factory premises at around 9:30am. The Ansars replied by opening fire on the protesters.

Later, the camp was withdrawn in the face of fierce demonstrations by the workers.

The injured were admitted to local hospital and clinic.

Witnesses said the Ansar men deployed in the factory slapped two workers on the graveyard shift the night before. The fellow employees flew into a rage when they came to know about the incident in the morning.

They asked the factory authorities to take immediate action against those responsible for the assault. But as the authorities did not respond to their call, the workers armed with sticks and stones swooped on the Ansar men.

The Ansars fired at least 15 rounds of bullet to disperse the demonstrators as stones fell on the camp like rains.

During the clashes, workers Faruq Ahmed and Atiqur Rahman were shot in their legs while security in charge of the factory Abdul Kaiyum and laboratory in charge Abul Hasan were wounded by projectiles thrown at the Ansar camp.

Police reached the scene after about an hour and brought the situation under control.

In response to the workers allegations, the Ansars high command withdrew the camp and closed all 20 members to the battalion headquarters.

During the demonstrations, the workers also chanted slogans against the factory authorities. They demanded payment of salary within 20th of the month instead of 27th, reducing the work hours from 12 to eight and removal of the general manager.

Production of the factory remained suspended throughout the day yesterday for clashes and agitation.

Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Ashulia Police Station, told The Daily Star, “The workers were already fuming over earlier activities of the Ansar men. Then Friday night’s incident made them even angrier. ”

A magistrate would carry out an executive inquiry into the shooting incident, the OC said.