Dhaka:At least 20 people, including several police officers, were injured during clashes between police and ready-made garment workers in Dhaka's Mirpur area. The workers were protesting for a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the protest began when workers from multiple garment factories blocked the Mirpur-10 intersection around 9 am, causing a traffic standstill. Clashes erupted at 1115 am after police attempted to disperse the demonstrators.
The police initially requested the protestors to vacate the roads. When the workers did not comply, the police resorted to using batons, tear gas, and sound grenades. The confrontation temporarily subsided around 1145 am.
However, the situation intensified again when the workers moved towards Mirpur-11, leading to further clashes. During these altercations, a police vehicle was set on fire near Purabi Cinema Hall. No injuries were reported from the fire, which was promptly extinguished by a firefighting unit from the Pallabi Fire Service Station.
The authorities used additional measures, including water cannons, to disperse the protestors. Police detained about 15-20 individuals related to the clashes and the arson incident. Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Mirpur Division) Hasan Mohammad Naser Rikabdar reported that traffic around Mirpur-10 returned to normal after 12 noon.