Garment workers try to take to the streets through Mirpur alleys, police disperse them
Garment factory workers are making scattered attempts to take to the streets through various alleys in Mirpur, in the capital.
At around 10:45 am today, Monday, workers tried to come out onto the main road through an alley in the Senpara Parbata area of Mirpur-10. Police chased them to disperse the group and fired several tear gas shells.
Later, workers also tried to take to the streets in the Proshika intersection area beside the stadium in Mirpur-2. Police drove them away.
Eyewitnesses said workers were arriving in small, scattered groups from the Rupnagar area, passing by the stadium in Mirpur-2 towards Proshika intersection. They tried to come out onto the road.
Police obstructed them at around 11:00 am, triggering a tense situation between the police and the workers.
Earlier, at around 10:45 am, workers had tried to come out onto the road through an alley in the Senpara Parbata area of Mirpur-10. Police fired several tear gas shells to disperse them. The workers later moved away from the area.
Following two consecutive days of protests and clashes involving garment workers in Mirpur, members of the police and other law enforcement agencies have been on alert since Monday morning.
Police personnel were seen deployed around the Mirpur-10 roundabout and in nearby areas from early morning. Riot-control vehicles, water cannons and other vehicles were kept ready at the roundabout.
Traffic on the roads in and around Mirpur-10 is moving normally. There have been no disruptions, and pedestrians and general public are moving about without hindrance. The situation in the area appeared normal at around 10:30 am.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner (Crime Prevention–North) Mohidul Islam briefed journalists on Monday morning on the situation surrounding the workers’ movement in Mirpur and the police presence on alert.
Mohidul Islam said police were investigating whether anyone was seeking to create disorder, disrupt public safety or conspire to damage state property in connection with the workers’ movement in Mirpur.
An investigation was under way to identify those involved in Sunday’s clashes and the attack on a police vehicle. Police activities, including the collection of intelligence, were continuing, said the police official.
Mohidul Islam said workers were not the only people involved in Sunday’s incident; the investigation had also found the involvement of other criminals alongside the workers. Legal action would be taken against them. Anyone causing harm to the country by violating the law would face strict legal action, he said.
When asked how many people had been arrested in Sunday’s incident, Mohidul Islam said around 25 people had been arrested from different locations. No one had been arrested so far today. However, those who had tried to gather at various locations have been dispersed, he said.
On the police presence, Mohidul Islam said members of the force had been deployed at various locations and their operations were continuing. They remained on high alert, and necessary measures were being taken to keep the situation normal.
On Sunday, garment factory workers blocked the road at the Mirpur-10 intersection in the capital, demanding that the monthly minimum wage be raised to Tk 30,000. Workers from several garment factories took to the streets at around 8:00 am, disrupting traffic in nearby areas.
Clashes between workers and police began at around 11:15 am. According to eyewitnesses, police used batons, water cannons, sound grenades and tear gas shells to disperse the workers. The workers then threw bricks and stones at police from various directions.
Clashes and chases between the two sides continued until around 11:45 am. At one point around midday, a police vehicle was set on fire beneath Mirpur-11 metro station. Due to the clashes, Mirpur-10, Mirpur-11 and Pallabi metro stations remained closed from 11:38 am to 1:58 pm.
The previous day, Saturday, garment workers had also blocked roads in Mirpur over the same demand. From 10:30 am to 1:00 pm, traffic came to a standstill in and around Mirpur-10, Mirpur-11 and Mirpur-12.