Workers, police clash again in Savar

RMG workers at Savar clashed with police on Wednesday as owners kept all factories closed at Ashulia following similar clashes on Tuesday.

At least, 100 people, including pedestrians, were injured in the clashes at Hemayetpur of Savar.

The unrest led managements to close down 25 RMG factories, said sub-inspector Omar Faruk of Savar's Industrial Police.

RMG workers have demonstrated and then clashed with police for last few days in Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur.

They are asking for immediate implementation of the Tk 5,300 minimum monthly wage recommended by government-sponsored Wage Board.

Owners' association BGMEA decided on Tuesday to keep about 250 factories in Ashulia closed on Wednesday citing 'security concerns'.

RMG units at Savar, however, were open on Wednesday morning.

Police and witnesses said, around 8.30am, workers of two factories at Hemayetpur started demonstrations to back their demand for higher wages.

They caused damages in the factory before starting their demonstration on the Hemayetpur-Shingaeer Road where they tried to damage a few vehicles, according to witnesses.

The protestors also hurled brick-bats on other factories.

Clashes erupted when the police intervened.

Police charged with batons, lobbed tear-gas canisters and fired rubber-bullets to disperse the workers.

Sub-inspector Omar Faruk of Savar's Industrial Police said that authorities declared 25 factories closed for the day following the clash.

Garment factories closed down for Wednesday in Gazipur’s Kashimpur and Konabarhi as workers continued agitation since morning like on other days.

At one point they blocked Kashimpur-Konabarhi and Dhaka-Tangail highways, said Gazipur industrial zone police inspector Nazrul Islam.

Police fired rubber bullets and lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse them.

At least 35 people including workers and pedestrians were injured at that time.

Joydebpur Police Station OC SM Kamruzzaman said workers of 10 factories stayed off work since morning.

As they came on the Dhaka-Gazipur road, police baton-charged them and lobbed tear gas canisters to control the situation.

These factories were also closed for Wednesday.