At least 80 people were injured as ready-made garment (RMG) workers clashed with police at Ashulia in Savar and in Gazipur on Tuesday, protesting Monday’s deaths of two workers and demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 8,144. About 50 RMG units in these areas were also closed for Tuesday because of the agitation and subsequent clashes.RMG workers have been demonstrating in Savar, Ashulia and Gazipur industrial areas for several months to push for their demand.
The workers turned violent after the government fixed the wage at Tk 5,300 in the last week.
The workers’ agitation and their clashes with law enforcers resulted in the deaths of two workers, injury of several hundred people and closure of several hundred RMG units in these areas during the past four days.
On Tuesday, workers of different factories in Gazipur took to the streets at Konabari after signing attendance sheets around 8:15 am and engaged into clashes with the police. At least 30 people were injured in the clashes.
The clashes ensued following Monday’s deaths of two workers, including a woman in the industrial belt of Gazipur, 33 km north of the capital. The two died during a clash between workers demanding pay-hike and police.
At Ashulia, vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Tangail Highway was suspended for several hours as workers clashed with the police during demonstration for a minimum wage of Tk 8,144. At least 50 people were injured in the clash.
Police fired several rounds of tear gas canisters and rubber bullets to disperse the agitating workers.
Inspector Abdus Satter of the Industrial Police said, “Hundreds of agitating RMG workers brought out processions at different places in Ashulia, including Jamgora, Zirabo, Norsinghapur and Shimultola areas at about 8:15am.”
Workers of Irish Fashion, Southern Fashion, Muscot Group, Ready-mass Knitwear, OT Design joined the agitating workers shortly after signing their attendance sheets, Sattar added.
The authorities deployed the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) in Ashulia and Gazipur to fend off further trouble.
Meanwhile, police arrested Ziaul Kabir Khokon, the district president of Garment Sramik Trade Union Kendra, a left leaning workers organization, from Ashulia.
According to a report, prepared by the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s research department in consultation with the agency’s tripartite constituents in Bangladesh, garment workers in Bangladesh earn some of the lowest wages in the region. The report was published on Monday.
-With The Independent input
