25 injured as BGMEA staff, garment works clash in Karwan Bazar

A least 25 people have been injured when employees of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association and garment workers, who came to attend a meeting, locked in a clash.

Both sides blamed each other for the violence that took place at the BGMEA Bhaban in Karwan Bazar on Wednesday. The BGMEA officials later started a case with police over the clash.

Syed Alam, a labour inspector of the Directorate of Inspection for Factories who was there to attend the meeting, said, "The meeting was postponed after the clash."  

The Ashiana factory workers from Rampura along with the trade union leaders came to the BGMEA Bhaban for arbitration after the factory was closed two days ago regarding the dispute over launch of trade union activities in the factory.

Manjur Moyeen, the general secretary for Rampura region of the Garment Workers Trade Union Centre, told bdnews24.com BGMEA official Mansur Khaled suddenly got angry with the workers. “Later, a group of 25 to 30 BGMEA employees armed with iron rods and sticks attacked the workers."

Manjur said the workers got agitated after Mansur told them "there would be no meeting here. Who called the meeting? What is the meeting about?"

Labour inspector Syed Alam told bdnews24.com,"We told the worker leaders to come in a group of 10 or 12 people. When we were waiting for the meeting, the clash began downstairs. So we could not proceed with the meeting."

BGMEA official Manjur and Ashiana factory Managing Director Mohammad Shaheen were unavailable for comment on the matter.

Ramna Police Station OC Kazi Moinul Islam told bdnews24.com they had received a complaint from the BGMEA that garment workers attacked and damaged BGMEA building. Two of their staffers were injured.

No complaint has been lodged from the workers' side, he added.