Law enforces fire sound grenades, tear shells to disperse agitating workers in Mirpur
The protesting workers were dispersed and traffic situation is normal now
Tensions escalated this morning in the capital's Mirpur 12 as law enforcers fired sound grenades and tear shells to disperse a group of agitating garment workers.
The workers blocked the roads and vandalised shops following a rumour of a colleague's death.
"A minor clash occurred between the workers and the police on Wednesday around 11:30am. However, the situation has since returned to normal," Lieutenant Colonel Samiul Ebad Khan, a spokesperson for the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) told The Business Standard.
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He said a sufficient number of BGB troops have been deployed in the Mirpur area to prevent any potential disturbances resulting from the ongoing Ready-Made Garment (RMG) workers' strike.
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The clash reportedly erupted after workers claimed that police had used tear gas and sound grenades to disperse them. These actions are said to have ignited the confrontation.
Arif Aminul, inspector (Operations) of Pallabi police station, said, "In the Mirpur area, they became agitated after rumours circulated about their fellow colleague's death. Although these rumours were baseless, some workers still believed them."
"On Wednesday morning, they resorted to vandalising facades of markets and shopping malls, and they even prevented journalists from taking photos while labelling themselves as BNP workers."
DMP Pallabi Zone Assistant Commissioner Shahidul Islam informed The Business Standard that garment workers vandalised a car in Mirpur-12. He revealed that intelligence reports suggested the presence of intruders among the workers.
He said, "In accordance with directives from high-ups, we utilised tear gas and sound grenades to disperse the protesters from the area. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries in the clash."
He noted that three individuals have been detained for further questioning in connection with the incident.
In contrast, the protesting Ready-Made Garment (RMG) workers have asserted that their demonstration was peaceful and not responsible for the reported clashes.
The unrest among the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) workers of the Mirpur area stemmed from their ongoing protest demanding a wage hike, which commenced on Tuesday (31 October).
To ensure the safety and security of garment factories and their surroundings in and around Dhaka, including areas like Ashulia, Savar, Mirpur, Rampura, Abdullahpur, Tongi, Gazipur, and Konabari, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have deployed platoons.
In response to the escalating labour unrest, an emergency meeting is scheduled to be held at 3 pm today (2 November at the Sampreeti Conference Room in Srama Bhaban, the capital.
The meeting, aimed at addressing the ongoing strike by RMG workers and to find a resolution to the pressing issues related to wage hikes and labour conditions, will be presided over by the State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian.
