Dhaka Times Desk The game has started again with the garment sector of the country. It has become necessary to find those who are leading in this game and bring them under the law. Otherwise collapse is inevitable in this promising garment sector.
Garment workers have been staging violent protests in Savar, Ashulia and Kanchpur of Narayanganj for the past few years demanding salary hike. The area turned into a battleground when workers and police clashed. Over 300 people were injured when workers were pelted with bricks and police lathicharged, rubber bullets and tear shells. Workers blocked roads and vandalized vehicles. At that time, shops in that area were closed. Meanwhile, BGMEA and BKMEA, two associations of garment industry owners, have announced the closure of all factories in Ashulia for an indefinite period. They announced this according to the decision taken in the meeting of the two organizations.
It is to be noted that the owners had warned a few days ago that if the workers cause vandalism and disorder in this way, they will close the factory.
Declaration to continue the movement until the demands are met
The workers said they will continue their agitation until their demands are met. Their demands will be realized at any cost.
Garment workers in Ashulia protested for the sixth consecutive day yesterday, June 16, demanding salary hike. From the morning of June 16, the workers blocked the Abdullahpur-Bypail and Nabinagar-Kaliakoir highways and prevented the movement of vehicles. They vandalized 30 vehicles. At this time, there were frequent chases between the workers and the police. The police fired reckless lathicharge, rubber bullets and tear shells at the workers. More than half a hundred people including journalists, police and workers were injured. Vehicular movement on branch roads including the highway is also closed for about five hours.
When the BGMEA decided on June 15 that there is no opportunity to increase the salary at the moment, the workers erupted in anger again on June 16. The entire area of Ashulia came under their control. In this situation, the authorities announced a holiday in all the factories in the region. The wave of dissatisfaction spread in garment factories of different areas including Bypail, Shimultala, Jamgara, Narsinghpur, Nischintpur. At that time, the media workers were beaten by the angry workers. The workers said that they want a clear announcement from the Prime Minister regarding the salary structure. The workers have announced that they will continue their agitation until their demands are met.
Eyewitnesses and local residents said that around 7:30 am, workers blocked the movement of vehicles in various areas including Jamgra, Beran, Narsinghpur, Nishchintpur, Jirab, Pukurpar, Ghoshbagh, Shimultala, Unique, Gazirachat, Bagabari, Bypile, Dendabar, Sreepur. At that time, they had a massive clash with the police. In this situation, the business institutions, banks and insurance in those areas were closed.
When thousands of workers marched towards the factory in Bypile area of Ashulia, they clashed with the police. Workers-police clash in front of Mahbub garment factory in Zirab Pukurpar area. Agitated workers pelted bricks and broke glass at RM Diagnostic Complex in Jamgraha Chowrasta area. At this time panic arises among the patients. The workers of Mahbuba Apparels garment factory in Kathgara area of Ashulia protested on Bishmail-Zirab road demanding the opening of the closed factory. On the other hand, the workers of some garment factories including Anant Group, NewAge, Envoy Group blocked the Abdullahpur-Bypail highway and vandalized cars demanding increase in salary. At that time there was a clash with the police. The police resorted to lathicharge, tearshells and rubber bullets to bring the situation under control. A local journalist was injured by a rubber bullet. Clashes broke out in the Rural Power area on the Nabinagar-Kaliakoir road. Those injured in police lathicharge and rubber bullets have been admitted to various local hospitals and clinics. Some of the injured are Sohail, Shaheen, Mumtaz, Mozammel, Sabuj and Champa. In front of Narsinghpur Anant Garments, police constable Zahid was summoned by brick pelting workers. His forehead is cracked. She was admitted to Women and Child Health Center.
Sonargaon and Rupganj
Industrial workers of Kanchpur blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet highway for five hours on Saturday and took out a protest march demanding salary increase. At that time, the workers chased each other with the police and threw bricks. Workers vandalized various vehicles and inside Sinha Garments. The police resorted to lathicharge and fired over two hundred rounds of tearshells and rubber bullets to bring the situation under control. During this time, more than 150 people including journalists, pedestrians, policemen and workers were injured. The condition of two of the injured is critical. Police arrested three workers from the spot.
Police and eyewitnesses said that around 9:30 in the morning, about 8-10 thousand workers of some garments, including Kanchpur Sinha Garments, did not attend work and first protested inside the factory. At that time, the workers ransacked the factory. Later, the angry workers declared solidarity with the agitating garment workers in Savar Ashulia and blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chittagong highways by setting tires on fire. During this time, they vandalized 10-12 vehicles and ransacked some nearby shops. Sonargaon Thana Police, Kanchpur Highway Police, Kanchpur Industrial Police, Rupganj Thana Police and Narayanganj District Armed Police used lathi charge to disperse the angry workers. The workers threw bricks at the policemen.
More than half a hundred policemen including a police officer were injured when the workers threw bricks. Additional police have been deployed in Kanchpur to keep the situation normal.
A faction is always fueling the destruction of the garment sector of our country. The government needs to find this donor. Otherwise this potential sector of the country will be destroyed at some point. Because it is seen that a very minor cause is being magnified and law and order is being deteriorated with vandalism-bombing and creating chaos. This is not good at all for the country. The government should take strict measures to prevent this disorder. Those involved in this should be found and brought under the law and necessary measures should be taken.
English 
Bengali