20 factories shut
At least 50 people were injured as garment workers demonstrating for Tk 8,300 minimum wage clashed with law enforcers in Gazipur and Savar, on the outskirts of the capital, Monday.
In Savar, at least 30 garment workers were injured in a clash with policemen at Jamgora and Hemayetpurin the morning.
The authorities suspended production in 20 garment factories, including Rose Dresses Limited owned by BGMEA President Atikul Islam, after labour unrest erupted in the area.
Witnesses said 3,000-4,000 workers from 20 garment units, including Rose Dresses, took to the streets at about 9:00 am and staged demonstrations demanding their minimum wage be fixed at Tk8,300, instead of Tk5,300 finalised recently, though with the factory owners’ consent at last, by the government-appointed wage board.
The demonstrators attempted to put up barricade on the Abdullahpur-Baipail road by placing logs. They also vandalised 12 vehicles in the area.
Police fired several rounds of rubber bullet and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the workers, triggering a clash that left 30 of the demonstrators injured.
Of the injured, 3 /4 people were admitted to a local hospital. Later, the authorities closed 20 factories for the day.
Additional police were deployed in the area to quell the unrest.
In Gazipur, At least 20 people were injured in a clash between garment workers and police at Kashimpur in the city.
Witnesses said workers of DBL and JMS factories took to the streets with the same demand and vandalised a number of vehicles at noon.
As police tried to disperse them they threw brickbats towards the law enforcers, triggering a clash that left 20 people injured.
Additional police super Sanjit Kumer Roy said three platoon of BGB have been deployed in the area.
Source: UNB Connect
