The government doubled security in and around Ashulia yesterday as garment factories resumed production in full swing to end three days of violent labour unrest in the industrial area.
Meanwhile, police revealed that Jubo League members joined the labourers and caused most of the damage during the unrest to establish control over the jhoot (garment rejects) business.
An additional 4,000 personnel from police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and armed police battalion watched over the area as garment factories opened their doors to let thousands of workers get back to work.
Meanwhile, factory owners were scrambling to fix the damaged factories in order to meet their export deadlines.
Col (retd) Delwar Hossain, deputy managing director of the hardest-hit Ha-Meem Group, said they started partial production at the sweater factory amid very tight security measures.
“We are trying to convince the buyers and aiming to meet our deadline to ship the goods,” Delwar said.
A team of experts visited the Ha-Meem Group sweater factory building, which was set alight by rioters, and told the management that it might not be of any use because of the damage to the structure, said Delwar. Another team of experts will visit the building today.
Workers had also returned to the factories in good numbers despite plans by most of the affected factory owners to cull jobs to cover losses from the violence.
Manjur Rahman, manager and company secretary of Pretty Group that owns the S Suhi Industrial Park, said, “More than 65 percent workers returned to work as police cordoned off the factories for security.”
The unrest originated at the S Suhi sweater factory.
He said the factory management has given Tk 1 lakh to the family of Al-Amin, a worker of S Suhi sweater factory who died on the first day of the violence. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) will provide another Tk 2 lakh to his family.
On June 27, factories in Ashulia stopped production after violence erupted at the S Suhi Industrial Park after Al-Amin’s death. The spilled over violence caused damage worth around Tk 100 crore, with arsons setting alight the Ha-Meem Group’s factories.
JUBO LEAGUE INVOLVEMENT AND ARREST
Police arrested five to six key individuals responsible for the violence but have not caught the Jubo League cadres who took part in the violence. The labour leaders have gone into hiding, according to police sources.
Additional Inspector General of Police (admin) NBK Tripura told The Daily Star that police have already identified the different sections responsible for the violence and have arrested five to six key people.
Sources said Airpur union Juba League General Secretary Suman Bhuiyan and his associate Sohag led a group of 30 men to pose as labourers and conduct the most violent attacks during the three-day unrest.
Witnesses said these cadres took part in the violence equipped with sharp weapons and sticks right in front of the law enforcers.
Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-charge (OC) Monwar Hossain, however, said they had no information in this regard.
Dhaka district Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Iqbal Bahar told The Daily Star, “Criminals from outside were directly involved in the violence but it is not possible to disclose their names before their arrest.”
“Despite having their political identities, we treat them as criminals,” the SP said, adding, “Control over the jhoot business is one of the causes behind the violence but it is not the only cause.”
Dhaka Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Moklesur Rahman told The Daily Star, “Until we conclude investigation, it should not be proper to say that outsiders were involved in the anarchy in the garment sector.”
The Ashulia OC said among the arrestees, Moksed Ali, 24, of Nalita Bari upazila in Sherpur district, and Rafiqul Islam, 44, were produced before a court, which sent them to jail.
Five separate cases were filed in connection with the three-day violence four of them against 2,000 unidentified individuals. In the case filed in connection with arson, 5,000 unidentified people and nine identified individuals were accused.
Sub-inspector Towhidul Islam of Ashulia Police Station, who filed the arson case, told The Daily Star that labour leader Montu Ghosh along with other labour leaders and labourers were accused in the case.
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