Savar:Dhaka Outsiders and miscreants, rather than genuine garment workers, have been involved in violence and vandalism during protests in Savar and Ashulia, aiming to destabilize the country, according to Dhaka Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police Mostafizur Rahman.
According to United News of Bangladesh, DIG Mostafizur Rahman stated that some miscreants had infiltrated the workers' movement, creating disorder to destabilize the country. He emphasized that efforts are being made to gather information about these individuals, and those involved will face justice. The DIG made these remarks after visiting several factories in Savar.
He urged vigilance among all stakeholders, noting that genuine workers would not vandalize their workplaces. Despite reports of sporadic unrest, the situation in Savar was relatively calm on Monday compared to the previous days. Police maintained vigilance and control, deploying additional personnel to ensure law and order in Savar and Ashulia.
In response to the unrest, more than 100 garment factories in the area declared a general holiday on Monday. The protests, fueled by demands for a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, began when workers at the New Age factory in Narsinghapur staged demonstrations. The unrest spread to nearby factories, prompting authorities to declare holidays.
Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters, leading to clashes, particularly in front of the Ha-Meem Group factory. Miscreants set fire to a Ha-Meem Group van during the incidents. Additional police and Armed Police Battalion members were deployed, as confirmed by Superintendent of Ashulia Industrial Police-1 Mominul Islam Bhuiyan.
At least 15 people, including workers and police personnel, were injured in clashes. The confrontations, which began around 1 pm, resulted in injuries to 10 police personnel, including Assistant Superintendent of Police Shoaeb Ahmed. Two individuals were detained for allegedly attacking police.
Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Ashulia-EPZ regional highway resumed after the situation normalized. Meanwhile, senior police and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) officials visited the damaged AKH Garment factory in the Hemayetpur area, following attacks on Sunday.