A garment factory in Kaliakair Upazila, Gazipur, was reportedly attacked and vandalised by workers from neighboring factories after its employees opted not to participate in a protest. The incident took place at Lavender Garment Limited, leaving two workers injured, as confirmed by AKM Zahirul Islam, the superintendent of police for the Gazipur Industrial Area.
According to police reports, Lavender Garment workers refrained from joining a protest on Tuesday, which led to an aggressive response from workers of nearby factories the following day. “They attacked and caused significant damage to the factory,” Zahirul Islam stated. In response to the unrest, police have been deployed to secure the area around the factory.
The unrest was ignited after the death of Zahirul Islam, a worker from Libas Textile Limited, who was fatally injured during a robbery attempt in the Nischintapur area. Following his death, workers from his factory organised a protest, blocking the Dhaka-Tangail highway and demanding justice, which resulted in heavy traffic congestion.
During the protest, workers urged Lavender Garment employees to join their cause; however, the lack of response from Lavender’s workforce incited anger among the demonstrators, leading to the attack on the factory. Tensions escalated when a group of protesters broke through the factory’s main gate, vandalizing property and looting items.
Authorities, including the army and local police, swiftly arrived at the scene to restore order. The injured workers were promptly taken to Kaliakair Upazila Health Complex for treatment.
