Staff Reporter : At least 30 people were injured in a clash between workers and police at Tongi industrial zone in Gazipur on Friday morning. Witnesses and Police said, several thousand garment workers of Zaber and Zobair Fabrics staged demonstration in front of their factory gate in Pagar area in the morning to press home their demands including arrear salary and Eid bonus. The agitated workers later went on rampage and vandalised 10 vehicles parked in front of the factory and set fire to its chemical godown. The unruly workers also took to Tongi-Pagar road, halting the vehicular movement for some two hours. On information, police rushed the spot and tried to control the situation by charging baton to the agitating workers. The police action made the workers furious ensuing a chase and counter-chase between police and the agitating workers. Later they attacked the law enforcers by pelting brick-bats, triggering a clash. Police in reply lobbed teargas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the agitating workers, leaving 30 people injured. Abdul Khaleque, Assistant Superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police said: “At least 15,000 workers have taken part in the agitation. They took position on Tongi-Pagar road, halting the vehicular movement for some two hours. Later, they locked in clashes with police as police were trying to disperse them from the road, leaving at least 30 workers injured.” The police fired 20 rounds of tear cells and charged batons on the angry workers to bring the situation under control, he said. Selim Mia, Senior Station Officer of Tongi Fire Service and Civil Defence said: “The workers set fire at the godown around 9am. On information a unit of firefighters rushed to stop and doused the blaze at 11am. The extent of the damage could not be estimated right now.” The situation is under control now and additional police have been deployed in the area, said Industrial police.
