Garment workers, police chase and counter chase at Mirpur, bus vandalised
Police and the garment workers have been chasing and counter chasing each other in front of Purobi Cinema Hall in Mirpur of the capital. Police at one point fired tear gas shells to disperse the garments workers and force them to retreat from the street.
Police said that the garments workers entered the BRTC bus depot in Mirpur and vandalised several buses there. Three to four suspects have been detained.
The incident occurred around 11:00am today, Thursday. Earlier, garments workers carried out a demonstration from Mirpur-10 towards Mirpur-11 and Mirpur-12.
Garments workers have taken to the streets even today, with the demand of increasing their wages. They had been demonstrating there consecutively for the last couple of days.
At around 11:00am garments workers had a chase and counter chase with the police. Eye-witness Abul Halim said that the garments workers had already been demonstrating by blocking the streets from morning.
At one point, brickbats were hurled from the demonstration aiming at the police. Police then moved forward and fired tear shells. The garments workers were then scattered away in different directions.
Witnesses said that a silent environment prevails in the area. The workers aren’t there on the streets anymore. They have retreated from the streets to different alleys.
Witnesses also said that alongside the police, several other people were seen taking position wielding sticks in their hands. They were chanting the slogan ‘Joy Bangla’.
Acting officer-in-charge (OC) of Pallabi police station, Mahfuzur Rahman said that police members are deployed in the scene.
Mentioning the chase and counter chase with police, additional deputy commissioner of police in Mirpur division, Nazmul Feroze told Prothom Alo that the workers vandalised several buses entering into the BRTC bus depot in Mirpur.
They suspect that there might have been blockade supporters among the garments workers. He said that the detainees are being interrogated.