Agitating Beximco workers set fire to Grameen Fabrics factory, vehicles in Gazipur
The workers blocked the Chandra-Nabinagar highway, demanding reopening of closed Beximco factories
Highlights
- Police and army personnel have been deployed to disperse the crowd
- Police fired tear gas and sound grenades to control the situation
- The worker set fire to Grameen Fabrics factory
- Vandalised around 20 vehicles, torched 4-5 of them
- Several journalists were injured during the violence
- Vehicle movement remain halted as of 8:30pm
A group of agitating Beximco workers set Grameen Fabrics and Fashions Limited factory in the Kashimpur area of Gazipur this evening (22 January).
According to police, the agitating workers set fire to the factory of Grameen Fabrics around 5:30pm.
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Moniruzzaman, a firefighter at the Kashimpur Fire Station, said two units from the Sarabo Fire Station rushed to the spot and were trying to douse the fire at the factory.
Earlier, the workers blocked the Chandra-Nabinagar highway, demanding the reopening of 16 closed factories in the Kashimpur area of Gazipur.
The protest escalated with the workers attacking, vandalising, and setting fire to several vehicles, according to police and locals.
Traffic on the highway was halted as of filing this report at 8:30pm, our correspondent reports from the spot.
Industrial police, metropolitan police, and army personnel were deployed to the scene to disperse the crowd.
Meanwhile, some protesters vandalised and set fire to around 20 vehicles trapped in the traffic, while also attacking nearby shops.
Gazipur Industrial Police-2 Inspector Rajib Hossain said Beximco workers vandalised around 15 vehicles, setting fire to 4-5 of them, and also attacked nearby shops.
Despite initial attempts to disperse the crowd, the official said police later resorted to tear gas and sound grenades to control the situation.
Several journalists were injured during the violence, including Jahangir Alam of Deepto TV, Amir Hossain Riel of Banglavision, and Abu Sayeed of Daily Bangladesh.
The agitating workers demanded the reopening of all closed factories within the Beximco Industrial Park, the restoration of banking services, the opening of Letters of Credit (LCs), and the payment of outstanding dues.
Approximately 42,000 workers were employed at 16 factories in the Beximco Industrial Park, owned by Salman F Rahman, a former adviser to the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Workers have been protesting the irregular payment of their wages, and the government provided loans to cover wages for several months. However, in December 2024, the government decided to close 16 factories due to a lack of orders and significant loan defaults.
Since the closure announcement, workers have staged multiple protests, including a road blockade on 21 December, which was dispersed by law enforcement using tear gas and rubber bullets. On 14 January 2025, workers organised a human chain stretching 11km, followed by a mass rally earlier in the day.
Call for govt action to prevent instability in garment sector
Mohiuddin Rubel, former director of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), expressed concern over the protests by Beximco workers.
"We do not want to see the current stability of the garment industry disrupted in any way after a long period of instability," Rubel said.
"We are concerned about the way Beximco workers have taken to the streets in protest. Because some groups may conspire to steer their movements in different directions, potentially destabilising the entire apparel sector."
He emphasised the need for swift and decisive government action to prevent the situation from escalating.
