A clash that erupted between police and garment workers in Gazipur, resulted in injuries to four individuals, including policemen.
This is as per reports, which added as part of the ongoing RMG labour unrest, workers of the SM Knit Wires Limited factory located in the Shirirchala area of Gazipur Sadar upazila assembled on the streets on Saturday morning (4th November).
A protester, who wished to remain anonymous, explained that their demonstration was part of a broader movement taking place across various garment factories in different parts of Gazipur.
Earlier on Thursday, at 10 am, the factory director, Ali Hossain, reportedly had urged workers not to protest and assured them that the factory authorities would comply with the Government’s decisions regarding their demands. Consequently, the factory declared a holiday for the remainder of the day at 11 am.
However, in the afternoon, some workers from the dyeing section were summoned back to work.
Upon learning of this development, the workers staged a peaceful sit-in on the factory’s production floor on Saturday morning.
Subsequently, they decided to take their demonstration to the streets, encouraging employees from the nearby Esrotex garment factory to join their protest even as some workers from Esrotex expressed their solidarity and attempted to march toward the Meghna Knit Composite garment factory in the Masterbari area of Sreepur upazila.
During this march, the police intervened, resulting in a confrontation that escalated into a clash.
Two workers were injured by ‘gunshot’ wounds during this incident.
Mirajul Islam, the Additional Superintendent of Police (Additional SP) of Gazipur Sadar Circle, explained that the workers unexpectedly gathered on the highway with the intention of stopping vehicles and causing disturbances. He emphasised that the police did not initiate the confrontation; rather, it was the workers who began throwing projectiles.
In response to the incident, the police have detained nine individuals.
