The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

At least 300 readymade garment workers and 25 police personnel were injured when the workers clashed with police at several points on EPZ-Abdullahpur road in Savar and on Dhaka-Narayanganj link road at Fatullah in Narayanganj yesterday, demanding cancellation of the newly announced pay scale.

The agitating workers demanded Tk 5,000 as minimum monthly wage and its implementation from August 1.

Witnesses said, at first the workers of Shed Session Garments Factory at Jamgara ransacked its valuables and took to the street. Later, thousands of workers from 20 garment factories, including Envoy Garments and Starlink Garments, from the area gathered there around 11:00 am and blocked the road, creating a huge traffic jam.

The garment workers also vandalised several roadside business establishments in the area and two police vehicles.

Dhaka district's additional police superintendent Mozammel Haque told The New Nation that he himself, Dhaka's SP Iqbal Bahar, Savar circle's assistant superintendent of police Monwar Hossain and Ashulia police chief Sirajul Islam were among the injured.

Traffic has already resumed on Dhaka-Tangail highway from around 2:15 pm as the police managed to force the workers off the highway.

The police, however, said at the time that the workers had taken position in the lanes and alleys adjacent to the highway.

Ashulia's industrial zone had earlier on Saturday turned into a battle field as the police fired over one hundred rounds of rubber bullets to bring about seven thousand unruly workers under control.

The government announced a new minimum wage of Tk 3,000 for RMG workers on Thursday although workers demanded Tk 5,000 per month.

Left with no recourse, the last two days have seen RMG workers going berserk pressing for their demand.

As of 1.30 pm, over 150 people were reportedly injured in the sporadic clashes in Dhaka city yesterday when 12 workers were arrested for causing untoward incidents.

In addition, more than 100 factories closed down operations for the day.

Workers allegedly broke into a factory of BGMEA chief Abdus Salam Murshedy's Envoy Group at Jamgara in Savar and vandalised it.

According to the police, thousands of workers, in spite of the rain, laid siege to the Dhaka-Tangail highway at around 11am.

The police tried to move them off the highway but the workers refused and at one point both sides locked into a clash.

Workers allegedly vandalised various shopping malls, banks and factories at Jamgara bus stand and Narshingpur on the Dhaka-Tangail highway.

The agitating workers were said to have piled bricks in front of Fantasy Kingdom amusement park near Ashulia's Jamgara and blocked the highway from noon.

As police and Rapid Action Battalion tried to disperse them, the workers retaliated with brickbats.

The police said that the "agitators" had vandalised around 50 vehicles including 10-12 police vehicles.

At around noon, workers set alight tyres and wood in front of a factory of the Envoy group. Approximately 45 minutes later, workers broke into the factory and vandalised it.

It was also claimed that they tried to set the factory on fire, but police intervention pushed them back on the street.

The factory's assistant general manager, Mirza Hasan, said that outsiders broke down the main gate and vandalised the factory.

"At one point they tried to set the factory on fire pouring petrol and kerosene," he added.

Police fired teargas shells and rubber bullets to force them out.

The government on Thursday announced the new minimum wage for the garment industry workers with Tk 3,000 for general workers and Tk 2,500 for apprentices. The new package will take effect from November 1 after completion of legal procedures.

The chiefs of business bodies FBCCI, BGMEA and BKMEA, present at the briefing, said they would implement the structure within the three-month time frame set by the government.

Hours after the announcement of the new pay scale, Garments Sramik Oikya Parisad, Jatiya Sramik Jote and Garments Sramik Jote rejected it and demanded a review.

The workers also damaged around 200 business establishments, including several garment factories, and seven vehicles at Mohakhali, Tejgaon industrial area, Banani Chairmanbari and Gulshan Avenue and Mirpur on Friday.

In another incident, at least 50 people, including four cops, were injured as the RMG workers clashed with police during their demonstration at Fatullah on Dhaka-Narayanganj link road here Saturday rejecting new wage structure and demanding Tk 5,000 minimum wage.

Witnesses and police said around 1000 workers of Liberty and Micro Fibre garments factory staged demonstration near Shibu Market area at about 10:00 am to press home their demand.

Later, workers from 10-11 garment factories, including Metro, Palmal and Liberty Garment Factory, jointed them and put up barricade on Dhaka-Narayanganj link road, disrupting traffic on the road.

Police also lobbed 20-25 rounds tear gas shells to disperse the workers. Traffic movements on Dhaka-Narayanganj link road remained suspended for two hours due to the workers' blockade.

Later, the workers put off the barricade at 12 noon when the newly elected President of BKMEA, Selim Osman, gave them assurance to look into the matter.