Garment workers clashed with police in Savar and Ashulia this morning during demonstrations for higher wages.
Around 7:30am, around 2,000 workers blocked the Padmar Mor road in Savar, our correspondent reports.
When the police tried to convince the workers to remove the blockade, the workers threw brick chunks at the law enforcers. A chase and counter-chase ensued between the workers and police.
Later, police fired teargas shells to control the situation and removed the workers from the road.
During the protest in Padmar Mor, several workers alleged that the police beat up the workers when they took to the streets.
Additional Superintendent of Industrial Police-1 Mahmud Naser Johnny told our local correspondent that the workers of a closed factory of the DIRD Group gathered in front of the factory demanding arrears.
They vandalised the factory by throwing bricks. Police later arrived and tried to settle them. When the workers started throwing brick chunks at them, the police fired tear gas shells and dispersed the workers, he said.
The situation in Padmar Mor area is now normal, he said, adding that additional police force has been deployed in the area.
Meanwhile, workers of some factories staged demonstration in Jamgara and Six Storey areas of Ashulia on Tongi-Ashulia-EPZ road for the same reason.
A chase-counter chase between police and workers was ongoing around 10:30am. Police fired teargas shells at the workers to control the situation.
Rashedul Bari, additional superintendent of industrial police-1, said, "Workers of some factories took to the streets since morning. We are trying to normalise the situation."
Rafiqul Islam Sujon, president of Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation, said, "I came to know from talking to the workers that the workers are agitating mainly for the increase in wages. Several factories in the area are closed today."
The workers were protesting the board's proposal of Tk 10,400 minimum wage for the garment workers.
At least 30 garment factories in Savar's Hemayetpur and Ashulia's Jamgara area declared a one-day general holiday in the face of the workers' protest yesterday. Although some factories opened today, workers of several factories started protesting without entering the factory.
