Savar:Garment workers in the Savar industrial belt area initiated a new wave of demonstrations on Monday in the Ashulia area, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000. The protest activities intensified as workers from various garment factories took to the Dhaka-Aricha highway around 930 am in the Narsinghpur area.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the unrest further escalated when miscreants set fire to a covered van belonging to Ha-Meem Group while it was refueling at Nadi Filling Station around 1115 am. In response, police deployed tear gas in front of the Ha-Meem Group office to disperse the protestors, leading to clashes.
During the confrontation, there were reports of chases and counter-chases as the workers hurled brick chips at the police. Assistant Superintendent of Police Shoaeb Ahmed of Industrial Police-1 sustained injuries after being hit by bricks thrown by the protesters.
In reaction to the ongoing unrest, several garment factories in Hemayetpur, Tetuljhora, Fulbaria, and Ullail in Savar municipality declared a holiday. Protesters also visited multiple garment factories, compelling workers to leave, which disrupted operations throughout the area.
To maintain law and order, additional police forces and members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) have been deployed, as confirmed by Superintendent of Industrial Police Muminul Islam Bhuiyan.