Garment worker beaten to death in Mymensingh: What happened that day?

Shockwaves continue over the killing of garment factory worker Dipu Chandra Das, 27, who was beaten and burned to death in Bhaluka, Mymensingh. Since the incident, neither local residents nor Dipu’s colleagues at the factory have been willing to speak.

The factory management claims that despite calling the police, they were unable to stop the mob. police, however, say that his life could have been saved if they had been informed in time.

On Thursday night, garment factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was taken from Pioneer Knitwears (BD) Limited in the Dubaliapara area of Hobirbari union in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, after allegations of hurting religious sentiment were raised against him, and he was beaten to death. His body was later set on fire after being hung from a tree on the median of the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway, Thursday night.

The deceased, Dipu Chandra Das, was the son of Rabi Chandra Das of Mokamiakanda village in Banihala union under Tarakanda upazila. In connection with the incident, his brother Apu Chandra Das filed a case on Friday, naming 140 to 150 unidentified individuals as accused.

The deceased, Dipu Chandra Das, was the son of Rabi Chandra Das of Mokamiakanda village in Banihala union, Tarakanda upazila. In connection with the incident, his brother Apu Chandra Das filed a case on Friday, naming 140 to 150 unidentified individuals as accused.

On Sunday, around 1:45 pm, attempts were made to speak with at least ten workers in front of the factory to learn about the incident. However, none were willing to speak. Some said they had gone home early that day, while others said they had not come to the factory. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one worker said the factory management had forbidden them from talking about the matter.

CCTV footage from the factory shows that around 8:30 pm on Thursday, a group of people were seen trying to break the factory gate from outside. At one point, they broke the pocket gate and took Dipu Chandra Das from inside. Questions have arisen over how so many people gathered outside the gate while the incident was taking place inside the factory.

Abu Taher, 50, who has run a grocery store in front of the factory for 12 years, said, “At the time of the incident, I came out of the mosque and saw a gathering in front of the factory. I don’t understand whose words brought the crowd together.” He added, “Catching and beating a person like that is completely unacceptable.”

Zahid Hossain, 50, a businessman of Noore Madina Hotel in front of the factory, and grocery store owner Liton Mia, 55, said they saw nothing of how the crowd gathered or what happened during the incident.

After several arrests following Dipu’s killing, RAB stated at a press conference that the issue of blasphemy is very unclear. Attempts to find out what Dipu had said were unsuccessful, as no one could confirm. They added that they would investigate whether there was any prior enmity. The origin of the incident has not yet been identified. However, factory workers are giving a different account.

Dipu Chandra Das had joined the factory last September as a junior quality inspector. He worked on a floor with 400 workers. The workers claim that the incident began during a conversation among three of them while working at the factory on Thursday. They spoke on condition of approval from the factory management.

The workers claim that during their conversation that day, Dipu made derogatory remarks about the Prophet (PBUH). A quality inspector at the factory stopped him from speaking further and asked him to move aside. Tension began to spread across the entire floor after the matter became known, but the workers say they do not know how the incident went outside.

Uday Hossain, senior manager (human resources) of the factory, said, “That day, just before Maghrib prayers, a quarrel broke out over derogatory remarks about the Prophet (PBUH), which caused tension to spread across the entire floor. At that time, everyone was calmed down and attempts were made to restore order. To normalise the situation, signatures were taken on a false resignation paper. However, the matter spread outside the factory. The industrial police and local police station were informed of the situation.”

Uday Hossain claimed, “Dipu was not simply sent outside, as has been suggested. The situation was that once unrest began across the entire floor, we tried to take him safely to the gate so he could leave without harm. Once the crowd outside dispersed, he could go home. The situation never allowed us to safely send him out, and we did not do so. Eventually, however, the agitated crowd outside broke the pocket gate and took him out. There was nothing we could do.” He added, “How the people outside learned of the matter, I do not know. With everyone having mobile phones and access to technology, information spreads within seconds. Somehow it likely reached outside.”

After Dipu’s killing, his body was taken from in front of the factory to Square Masterbari Bus Stand, nearly one kilometre away. There, on the median of the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway, the body was hanged from a tree and set on fire. Visiting the site around 1:30 pm today, the rope was still hanging from the tree.

On the pavement, Md Noyon Mia, 40, from Gafargaon, who has been running a shoe shop for seven years, said, “That day, suddenly I saw people arriving while shouting slogans. In fear, I closed my shop and moved away. Later I heard that the person was being beaten because he allegedly made derogatory remarks about the Prophet (pbuh). This is a very terrible act.”

Superintendent of Industrial Police‑5, Mymensingh, Md Farhad Hossain Khan, said, “We received the information around 7:50 pm. By then, 8,000 to 10,000 people had gathered on the road. Before we could reach the site through the traffic, the worker was taken by the crowd. We repeatedly instructed that the worker should not be sent outside. However, before our forces could arrive around 8:30 pm, the worker was handed over to the crowd. That is when the incident occurred. At the start of the incident, the management tried to resolve the matter internally and did not inform us beforehand.”

He added, “The incident inside the factory spread outside; otherwise, there would have been no opportunity for the crowd to intervene. The factory management failed at that point. When the crowd tried to break the gate, in an attempt to protect the factory, the worker was handed over to the people.”

Noting that the worker could have been saved if informed in time, Officer-in-Charge of Bhaluka Model Police Station, Md Zahidul Islam, said that had the police been informed when the incident began, the worker could have been rescued. However, they were informed at the last moment. He added that 12 people have already been arrested in connection with the case.

Around 1:45 pm today, a protest march was held in front of the factory under the banner of ‘Garment Workers’ Organisations’. The march proceeded about one kilometre to the site of the incident, where a brief assembly was held. The banner read, “Workers of the world, unite. Justice for the killing of Dipu Chandra Das. Dipu Chandra Das’s family must be compensated with an amount equivalent to a lifetime’s earnings.”

At the assembly, among others, speeches were delivered by Mosrefa Mishu, president of the Garment Unity Forum; Satyajit Biswas, general secretary of the Garment Workers’ Union; Shabnam Hafiz, president of the Garment Workers’ Liberation Movement; Taslima Akter, leader of the Garment and Textile Workers Federation; and Fahim Ahmed Chowdhury, general secretary of the Democratic Students’ Council.

Regarding the matter, Uday Hossain, senior manager (human resources) of the factory, said, “Through investigation, we want a fair trial for this incident. We will provide all necessary assistance from our side. Whoever is guilty will face justice. There is no compromise from our side. The family of the deceased will receive all possible support from us.”