50 inured, 20 arrested: Garment workers clash with police at Uttara
The New Nation, Bangladesh
At least 50 garment workers and police were injured in a violent clash between workers and police at the city’s Uttara yesterday morning.
Police arrested 20 workers during the clash.
Witnesses said the clash ensued when five to six thousand workers of eight garment factories including the workers of Hachong Corporation Limited brought out a procession at about 9.30 am demanding the resumption of work in the factory, reinstatement of the workers in their job who were fired earlier, put an end to workers’ repression and the death of a pregnant female worker following the baton charge by law enforcers on Thursday’s road blockade.
The agitated workers belonged to Nadia Sweater, Naj Sweater, Batiks Sweater, Bengal Sweater, SKS Sweater, Sintech Sweater and Najma Sweater besides the workers of Unit – 1 of Hachong Corporation Limited, the garment factory where the flame of fury first instigated.
The procession of the worker was intercepted by police. Police also put up barricade on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway triggering the stranding of hundreds vehicles on the both sides of the road.
At about 12 noon, the agitating workers brought out a procession for the second time from Azampur and again confronted police cordon near at Bismillah Shopping Complex.
Meanwhile, the agitating workers locked into chase and counter-chase with the law enforcers and about 50 people were injured in the incident. Police also arrested 10 to 12 workers from the spot.
Tense situation has been prevailing following the incident.
The workers of the same garment factory earlier took on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway demanding the resumption of work in the factory and an end to the worker repression on Wednesday and Thursday.
The workers of the factory earlier demonstrated several times sporadically to materialize their demands.
It is known that the workers unrest mounted following the shut down of the Hachong Corporation factory abruptly on July 18 without paying their dues.
© Copyright 2003 by The New Nation
