Workers clash with police repeatedly in Gazipur, 30 injured 15 vehicles vandalised

Readymade Garment workers demonstrating on the roads in Gazipur, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, clashed repeatedly with law enforcement agencies. At least 30 people were injured in the clashes. At least 15 vehicles, including a police vehicle, were vandalised. In response to the situation, 20 factories declared a holiday.

At around 2:30 pm today, Saturday, workers from the Interstoff factory began protesting after taking to the road in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area of Kaliakair upazila in Gazipur. Workers from several other nearby factories also joined the demonstration later. This caused severe traffic congestion on the Dhaka–Tangail highway.

The protesting workers said it had become difficult to run their households on their current wages. Opportunities for overtime work have also declined. Meanwhile, the prices of all essential commodities have increased, but their wages have remained unchanged. They said they had been demanding a minimum wage of Tk 30,000 for a long time.

Aminul Islam, a lineman at Interstoff Apparel Limited, said, “The wages we earn after working hard all day are no longer enough to run our households. The prices of everything, including rice, lentils and oil, have gone up. Yet our wages remain where they were. We have been forced to take to the streets. We want to work, but we also need wages that allow us to support our families.”

Parveen Akter, a sewing operator at the same factory, said, “We are struggling to manage house rent, grocery bills and our children’s education. We used to earn some extra money through overtime, but those opportunities have also become limited. A monthly wage of Tk 30,000 has been our demand for a long time. If our demand is not met we will continue our movement.”

Industrial police, factory workers and local residents said workers had been protesting for higher wages in various areas of Gazipur, including Konabari and Mouchak, for the past two weeks. Meanwhile, the government has decided to form a new wage board to increase workers’ wages. Despite this, labour unrest has continued at various factories.

At noon on Saturday, after the lunch break, workers at the Interstoff factory did not return to work and instead took up positions on the Dhaka–Tangail highway. They then blocked the road by dumping sacks of rubbish from the surrounding area onto it. At one point, workers from the nearby Divine Textile factory also joined them.

Labour unrest subsequently spread to various factories between Chandra and Konabari. In response to the situation, factory authorities declared holidays at 20 factories. Some of the workers sent home also joined the protests.

After receiving the news, local police and industrial police went to the scene and tried to bring the situation under control by reasoning with the workers. The blockade began at 2:30 pm, causing severe inconvenience to passengers and transport workers.

At around 5:30 pm, police began using batons to clear the workers from the highway. At the time there were chases and counter chases that eventually escalated into clashes between the police and the workers. During the clashes, 15 vehicles were vandalised, including a police vehicle whose front windscreen was smashed.

Police began firing tear gas shells at around 7:00 pm. After the workers eventually moved away from the highway, traffic resumed on the Dhaka–Tangail highway at around 7:30 pm. Kaliakair Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shahidul Islam said 30 people including workers and police personnel had been injured in the clashes and counter-chases.

The injured workers received treatment at various local clinics. Kabir Hossain, a worker at Divine Textile, said, “Twenty to 25 of our workers were injured by police baton charges. Many others were injured by tear gas shells. Even if we leave today, our movement will resume tomorrow (Sunday) morning.”

Earlier in the afternoon, Harun Mia, a bus driver, spoke to Prothom Alo at the Chandra intersection. He said, “I have been stuck in the Chandra area for more than an hour. The same thing happened last Thursday. What are we supposed to do if garment workers keep blocking the roads like this?”

Passenger Md Kader Mia said, “I need to go to Dhaka for urgent work. After reaching Chandra, I was forced to get off the bus and continue on foot.”

Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, organising secretary of the central committee of the Jatiya Garments Sramik Jote Bangladesh, said a demand had been made for the immediate formation of a new wage board for garment workers. Workers are demanding a minimum wage of Tk 30,000.

However, he said, they must carry out their programmes peacefully. He urged workers to refrain from programmes that could damage lives and property or cause public suffering.

Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Md Amzad Hossain said factory authorities had declared holidays at least at 20 factories between Chandra and Konabari because of the workers’ protests. Additional police personnel had been deployed at various locations to ensure security.