Several readymade garment workers were injured in a clash that broke out with police in Ashulia'a Jamgora area on Saturday.
At least a 1,000 employees took to the streets demanding hike in their minimum wages and blocked the roads in the area at 8:00am.
When they tried to block Abdullahpur-Bypail Road, police started hurling teargas shells and charged batons on the protesters.
Ashulia Police Station OC SM Kamruzzaman said, "Workers of some garment factories tried to block Abdullahpur-Bypail Road at about 8:30am refusing to join their respective work places. Then the law enforcers asked them to vacate the road. Suddenly, they started throwing brick chips at police.
A counter-chase also took place between the two groups. At one stage, police used teargas shells and charged batons to disperse the workers from the road. Many were injured. "The injured were admitted to Women and Children Health Centre in the area.
Garment factories in Gazipur reopened on Saturday after a few days of closure amid RMG workers' protests demanding an increase in wages.
Additional law enforcement personnel have been deployed to prevent untoward incidents and violence, said Sarwar Alam, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Gazipur Industrial Zone Police-2.
"Most of the factories have been opened. Several workers have been arrested, and a case has been registered in connection with the violence and arson of the last few days," he said.
Police use tear gas shells as RMG workers protest in Gazipur
However, several workers were injured in a clash as police obstructed them during their attempt to block the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway this morning in the New Market area of the district's Sadar upazila demanding wage hike. Police dispersed the workers by using tear gas and sound grenades.
Md Asad, Assistant Superintendent of Police of Gazipur Industrial Zone Police-2 (Sreepur Sub-Zone), said he and Inspector Abdur Noor were injured.
"We tried to talk to them first. But when they tried to block the highway without listening to us, the police stopped them. When the agitated workers threw bricks at the police, Inspector Abdur Noor, along with me, was injured," he said.
Garment factory workers have been demonstrating in Dhaka and elsewhere for the past few days, starting on October 23, demanding a minimum wage of Tk 23,000 per month.
In Gazipur, the demonstration that began in Telir Chala area of Mouchak spread to other nearby areas. There were incidents of arson attacks on cars, factories, and shopping malls, and several factories were damaged.
Following the unrest, most of the garment factories were declared closed. Later, government officials, factory owners, BGMEA leaders, and labour unions held a meeting on the issue. A wage board has been formed, and the minimum wage for workers will be determined and announced in November, with effect from December.
