50 RMG factories in Savar, Ashulia shut amid clashes 

The industrial hubs in Savar and Ashulia have once again turned volatile amid garment workers’ protests over their three-point demands. 

Clashes between workers and police, chases and counter-chases, and the firing of tear gas shells and sound grenades were reported. At least 50 garment factories in Ashulia declared a general holiday amid the unrest.

Worker unrest spread across Hemayetpur in Savar and different areas of Ashulia on Wednesday morning.

At Padmar Mor in Hemayetpur, workers from two garments factory gathered and staged protests. At one stage, they threw brickbats at police. Police later chased the workers and dispersed them. However, production continued at most garment factories in Savar.

Meanwhile, workers joined their shifts at different garment factories in Ashulia around 8am but stopped work shortly afterwards. Around 8:30am, several hundred workers gathered in the Jamgora and Nishchintapur areas along the Baipail-Abdullahpur road.

Police chased the workers to clear the road, triggering chases and counter-chases between the two sides. Police fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to bring the situation under control. Following the incident, authorities declared a general holiday at at least 50 garment factories in Ashulia.

Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Tarikul Islam said the situation had been brought under control and traffic movement restored. 

Citing the Savar upazila administration, he said additional police personnel and 14 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) had been deployed across the Ashulia industrial belt to prevent further unrest.