At least 30 people were injured in an hour-long clash between riot police and garment workers in the capital's Mirpur area Wednesday morning.
Vehicular movement in the area came to a halt for several hours following the incident.
Chase and counter-chase took place between them, turning the Mirpur 13 and 14 sectors into a battlefield.
Witnesses said the clash developed as several hundreds of garment workers of different factories in Mirpur area including the workers of the Opex Group took to the street at about 9:30am and blocked the road to press home their several demands including increasing their monthly salary minimum Tk 5000. At present the workers get only Tk 1650 monthly.
Their other demands include ensuring the rights to form trade union for garment workers, increasing 30 percent of their wages in every year, taking steps not to sack any agitating workers and providing them with mid-day snacks.
The angry workers also demanded removal of Opex Group Executive Director Lt Col (retd) Mujibul Islam Khan for his ill treatment with garment workers.
The agitating workers hurled brick chips on police, prompting them to charge batons, fire tear gas shells and throw boiled water on the workers in a bid to disperse them, leaving 30 injured.
At least 20 garment factories of the area were shut down after the clash.
General Manager of the Opex Group Harun-or-Rashid told newsmen that they have already met the demands of their workers apart from the irrational demand of Tk 5000 as minimum wage.
"If the government and BGMEA will take a decision on the issue then we will consider it," he said.
Officer-in-charge of Kafrul Police Station Delwar Hossain told The Daily Star that the workers of Opex Garments blocked the street from Mirpur 13 to 14 at about 9:30am as a sequel to their Tuesday's agitation for pressing their demands.
Source: thedailystar.net
