Hundreds of readymade garment workers on Thursday cordoned off the BGMEA Bhaban in the city and clashed with cops apart from ransacking the windowpanes of a number of roadside buildings.
The RMG workers from various factories took to the streets as the authorities did not suspend production in the factories today although Thursday was earlier announced as the national mourning day.
Hundreds of workers of Rampura and Badda areas marched towards the BGMEA Bhaban around 11:30 am with sticks and iron-rods and laid a siege to the BGMEA Bhaban.
The workers clashed with police in front of the BGMEA Bhaban and vandalised several vehicles there.
Police detained two workers from the spot but released them shortly. The workers also pelted brickbats at the BGMEA Bhaban and ransacked its windowpanes.
Earlier, the angry workers threw brick chips at windowpanes at roadside buildings and establishments, and ransacked those on their way to the BGMEA Bhaban.
They also threw brickbats towards the BGMEA Bhaban. There was chase and counter-chase between the police and workers in front of BGMEA Bhaban.
Meanwhile, garment workers in Gazipur, Savar and Narayanganj blocked five highways and carried out vandalism protesting the death of their fellows in Savar building collapse.
The workers were also demanding punishment of the people involved in the Savar tragedy.
The BGMEA (Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association), however, did not officially direct its members to shut their factories.
Nearly 7,000 workers blocked Chandana intersection around 8:45am. The intersection linked three highways — Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Gazipur.
Over 20,000 workers of several garment factories have been staging demonstrations blocking Dhaka-Narayanganj highway in Kanchpur area since 11:30am.
The traffic movement on Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chittagong highways was disrupted for some time following the incident.
UNB Gazipur correspondent reports: Hundreds of garment workers went on a rampage in the morning in protest against the keeping of factories open despite national mourning day and demanding punishment to garment factory owners responsible for the Savar building collapse.
The rowdy workers set fire to Arong Factory a Laxmipura in Sadar upazila in the morning and vandalised it. They also torched several vehicles at Tongi and some other areas.
When the firefighting teams and law enforcers appeared at the scene to douse the fire, the unruly workers also vandalised their vehicles.
Meanwhile, the workers also vandalised many garment factories at Chandana and Bhogra intersection along Dhaka-Mymensing highway, Kunabari industrial area along Dhaka-Tangail highway and Tongi upazila in the morning.
The government on Wednesday announced one day mourning for Thursday following the collapse of Rana Plaza in Savar that left at least 186 people dead so far.
Source: UNB Connect
