Two garment factories within the Narayanganj Export Processing Zone (EPZ) were vandalised on Saturday afternoon after workers reportedly refused to participate in a ‘March for Gaza’ protest.
The incident occurred around 5:00 pm on Saturday in the Adamjee area of Siddhirganj, as tensions escalated when several hundred demonstrators marched to protest against Israeli attacks on Gaza. As the protestors approached the EPZ gates, they urged factory workers to join their cause by halting production. When the workers declined to participate, the situation turned violent, leading to the vandalism of the factories.
Selim Badsha, inspector of Narayanganj Industrial Police-4, confirmed that the two affected factories, Yunusco BD Ltd and Ananta Huaxiang Ltd, were attacked and looted. Nearby vehicles also sustained damage during the rampage, which lasted approximately 30 minutes before law enforcement and military personnel intervened to restore order.
Tarek Al Mehedi, additional superintendent of police in Narayanganj, reported that 45 individuals were detained at the scene by joint forces, including police, Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), and army personnel. The detainees were subsequently handed over to Siddhirganj Police Station for further investigation.
Authorities are looking into the possibility that external forces may have exploited the protest to incite violence. Al Mehedi noted, “The Palestine issue is generally seen as a neutral, humanitarian cause that unites people across political divides. We are investigating whether anyone used this cause as a pretext to orchestrate violence.”
Legal action will be pursued in connection with the vandalism incident, as the investigation continues.
