At least 50 injured, 100 detained after workers and police clash in Chittagong

At least 50 people, including policemen, have been injured and over 100 detained after a clash between readymade garment workers and the law enforcers in Chittagong City's New Market area.

The factory workers of Asian Apparels Limited had taken it to streets on Wednesday morning to protest misbehaviour of a supervisor with their women colleagues.

Their clash with police ensued around 11am.

Witnesses said agitated protesters had hurled brickbats at police, who in return lobbed teargas shells, fired rubber bullets and charged batons to disperse them.

At least 20 police officers including CMP's Assistant Commissioner Abdul Rahim, Kotwali police OC Jasim Uddin and Inspector Nur Ahmed were injured.

Around 30 workers were also injured in police action.

Asian Apparels had moved its main factory to the city's Uttar Kattoli from Station Road some months ago. But the company's headquarters remained at the old place.

The agitators alleged that a supervisor at the factory had verbally abused the women workers of the cutting section claiming they were not working on Tuesday morning.

Protesting the reported incident, the workers had demonstrated later in the afternoon by blockading the road in front of the company head office.

But they calmed down and moved from the road after owners assured them of listening to their allegations on Wednesday noon, Kotwali police OC Jasim Uddin said.

But the workers resumed their protests around 10:30am Wednesday by barricading the road near New Market.

Jasim told bdnews24.com: "We tried to disperse the workers peacefully when they attempted to vandalise public properties. They attacked us at that time."

Then police fired rubber bullets and lobbed teargas to break up the protest. Later, more than 100 protesters, including women workers, were detained from the area afterwards.

Several workers alleged that the factory owners did not come even though they were supposed to sit with them. They claimed police had assaulted them for 'no reason' when the workers took position on the streets.

Workers of the same factory had clashed with the law enforcers in Station Road area on May 24.