Garments workers clash with police, 40 factories declare holiday in Ashulia

Workers continued their protests in Ashulia area of Savar, today, Tuesday, pressing for various demands, including a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000.

Since morning, there have been clashes between workers and police, with both sides chasing each other and exchanging brickbats at various points along Abdullahpur–Baipail road. Police fired tear gas to bring the situation under control. No casualties were reported immediately.

According to sources at the Ashulia Industrial Police, workers arrived at various factories around the Abdullahpur–Baipail road at their scheduled time this morning. Workers at several factories stopped working and remained seated. In response to the situation, the authorities at several factories declared a holiday.

At around 8:30 am, workers staged protests by setting tyres alight at various points on the road in front of a factory belonging to Ha-Meem Group in the Narsinghpur area. Clashes broke out between them and police, with both sides chasing each other and exchanging brickbats.

Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters and bring the situation under control. The protesters later took up positions in various alleys in the area. At around 10:00 am, workers blocked the road and staged a protest in the Unique area along the Abdullahpur–Baipail road.

At around 10:30am, workers and police were seen facing each other in an alley beside the Abdullahpur–Baipail road in the Nischintapur area. Workers were throwing brickbats at police, who were using loudspeakers to urge the protesters to leave.

Earlier, police had fired tear gas shells to disperse workers who had blocked the road and staged a protest.

At around 10:45 am, Ashulia Industrial Police-1 Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan told Prothom Alo that the authorities had declared holidays at around 40 factories in response to the situation.

Workers at about 10 other factories had stopped working and were have taken position inside the premises, he added.

Two cases have been filed at Ashulia Police Station over allegations of vandalism, arson and other offences during the ongoing workers’ protests. Police at the relevant station also said that proceedings were under way to file another case at Savar Model Police Station.

Claiming that the overall situation in Savar had remained normal until this morning, Savar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Saiful Alam told Prothom Alo that proceedings were under way to file a sabotage case over a bus being set on fire in the Tetuljhora area last night.

Nine people have already been detained on various charges, including vandalism and arson, added the OC.

Meanwhile, Ashulia Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Harun-or-Rashid told Prothom Alo that two cases were been filed at the station last night over incidents of vandalism and arson. Four people have already been arrested in connection with these incidents.