SAVAR: Police poured hot water and fired teargas shells and rubber bullets to disperse belligerent garment workers who ran riot through Ashulia industrial belt Saturday for pay hike, leaving over 200 people wounded on both sides.
Despite heavy security buildup against the backdrop of Friday’s marauding in downtown Dhaka, massive troubles flared up in the Ashulia apparel industrial belt Saturday as a standoff over the government-declared minimum wage for the RMG workers took a turn for the worst in the export industry.
Police picked up 10 demonstrators from the scene, reports banglanews24.com.bd correspondent from the hotspot of unrest.
Police and witnesses said several hundred workers took position in front of Envoy Group of BGMEA chairman Salam Morshedi around 11am. Besides, workers of Shed Fashion in Jumgora area started work abstention from Saturday morning.
The workers blocked he busy Dhaka-Tangail highway at about 11am to press their demand for a minimum wage of Tk 5,000 instead of Tk 3000 and its implementation from August 1.
Sensing danger, the authorities declared all factories at Ashulia closed in mass lockouts to get over an impeding turmoil.
Hordes of workers later ran riot vandalizing some garment factories and other establishments out of anger against the newly announced wage scale.
“Police poured hot water on demonstrators to break up the raging demo. As the belligerent workers kept pelting the cops with brickbats braving the use of water cannon, police retaliated by firing teargas shells and rubber bullets,” says a firsthand account of the pitched battles.
The clashes left over 200 injured. SP of Dhaka district Iqbal Bahar told bdnews24.com.bd that at least 50 cops, including himself, were among those wounded.
Factory director Japon Kumar Bhoumik said workers are pressing various demands time and again.
Ashulia thana OC Sirajul Islam told banglanews24.com.bd, “Workers have got to realize their demands sitting with owners--they will not be allowed to create anarchy on the street.”
Additional police were called in to reinforce security deployment in the area to maintain law and order.
BDST 1337 HRS JULY 31, 2010
