Sound grenades used to disperse protesting RMG workers in Gazipur

Garment workers demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000 blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Gazipur again on Wednesday, as their ongoing protests continued.

Clashes and chases broke out between workers and police in Barabari, in the Board Bazar area of Gazipur city, on Wednesday morning, bringing all vehicular movement on the highway to a halt.

Witnesses said workers took to the streets around 9:30am and began demonstrating. When law enforcement personnel arrived to clear the road, the workers threw bricks and stones at them. Police responded by firing tear gas shells, quickly escalating tensions in the area.

A section of the protesters later moved towards Basan Police Station. They were accused of throwing bricks and stones inside the station and attempting to enter the premises carrying sticks and batons. Police again fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse them. Additional law enforcement personnel were subsequently deployed at the scene.

Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Amzad Hossain said the situation in other industrial areas had remained normal since morning. Describing the incident in Barabari as an isolated incident, he said adequate personnel had been deployed there.

Garment workers have been staging protests in different parts of Gazipur since Sunday, demanding that the minimum monthly wage be raised to Tk 30,000. The Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways have been blocked repeatedly during the demonstrations. Clashes also broke out on Tuesday afternoon amid an attempt by protesters to surround Kashimpur Police Station. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and SRB personnel have been deployed in Gazipur to contain the situation. Several factories have also announced holidays amid the unrest.

The protesting workers said their current wages were insufficient to cover the cost of living. They vowed to continue their movement until the minimum monthly wage is raised to Tk 30,000.