10 hurt as police charge batons on Savar RMG workers

At least 10 people were injured as police charged batons on protesting garment workers at different points on Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar this morning.

Workers from several garment factories blockaded the highway around 9:30am when police clubbed away the agitating workers, leaving at least ten of them including women injured.

Some men in plainclothes were also seen beating up the workers, the correspondent said.

Later the workers regrouped in Ulail Bazar area in Savar and blockaded the area around 10:00am.

Another chase and counter-chase between police and the workers took place and sporadic clashes were going on when the report was filed around 10:40am.

The law enforcers have also fired tear-gas shells at the agitating workers to disperse them around 10:40am.

BGB men were also seen patrolling the area.

At least 12 RMG factories in Ashulia area of Savar have been shut down following the unrest, said Superintendent of Industrial Police Shana Shaminur Rahman.

The SP also said they were trying to persuade the workers to vacate the road. “We are trying to bring the situation under control.”

Asked about the death of a worker of Anlima Textile, the police official denied that he was shot by police.

“No clashes between police and workers took place in the area at that time. We are looking into the matter,” he said.

The agitating garment workers have been holding demonstrations since Sunday over disparity in wage raises in the latest government pay scale.

Source: thedailystar