Protests in Gazipur

Garment workers resorted to arson and vandalism after they came out on the streets in thousands in Gazipur on Thursday to protest building collapse at Savar on Wednesday that killed over 150.

Traffic on Gazipur-Mymensingh road and Dhaka-Tangail highway (at Joydevpur intersection) came to a halt as workers from Tongi, Konabari and Joydevpur came on to the streets, bdnews24.com Gazipur Correspondent reported from scene.

Most of the factories were said to have been closed for the day due to the protests.

Some thousands of workers from Diganta Sweaters in Naojor area, Starlight Sweaters, Nexus Sweaters, Garib and Garib and Maisha-Monisha in Bhogra area did not join work and instead began protesting at around 8:30am, police and witnesses said.

They engaged in widespread destruction following rumours that one of their colleague was taken away. They ransacked one transport owners’ office near Joydevpur four-road intersection.

Meanwhile, agitated workers attacked the security guard room of Aarong Milk factory (on Dhaka-Gazipur highway) and set fire to a motorcycle around 9:00am.

Two Gazipur fire units doused the flames after half-an-hour of fire fighting, Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defence Senior Station Officer Abu Zafar Ahmed said.

Joydevpur Police Station Officer in-Charge said they were ‘trying’ to disperse the workers.