Noman Mosharef :
The garment industrial belt at Gazipur and Ashulia turned into a battlefield yesterday, as several thousand apparel workers clashed with police over demanding reopening of their factories, demanding payment of their salaries and their health safety amid spread of coronavirus.
The workers of a layoff declared factory in Gazipur staged demonstrations demanding factory reopening and their salaries. Excited workers of a factory vandalized another factory. The agitated workers burnt three motorcycles, eight bicycles and tires. The workers chased and counter-chased with the police. At least eight people, including police, were injured. The industrial police brought the situation under control by dispersing the workers by tear gas shells.
Gazipur Industrial Police Additional Superintendent of Police (Additional SP) Sushant Sarkar said the authorities of Stylish Garments Factory in Bhogra area of Gazipur metropolis announced lay-off from April 1 through a notification on March 31. However, the factory continued production for some time after April 1. The owner did not announce when the factory would open. Prior to the lay-off of the factory, the salaries of 30 workers and 80 per cent of the staff were not paid. The workers staged a protest on Sunday and blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway demanding the announcement of a date for the launch of the factory and payment of dues to the workers and employees.
He added that as their demands were not met and the owners did not respond, the workers started gathering in front of the factory around 8 am on Monday. Authorities announced the lay-off as there was no work in the factory. Even then, the workers protested and set fire to the factory and demanded payment of arrears. At one point the workers started protesting.
Gazipur Industrial Police Additional Superintendent of Police (Additional SP) Jalal Uddin said the agitated workers staged a sit-in on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway surrounding the factory. Meanwhile, the protesters called on the workers of Volmont Fashion, Crown Fashion and Techno Fiber garment factories to join the movement and throw brickbats at them. The doors and windows of the factories were vandalized. At one point, they gathered three motorcycles and eight bicycles parked on the side of the highway in front of the Crown Fashion Factory and set them on fire. When the police reached the spot and tried to remove the blockaders from the highway, the workers started throwing stones at the police. At one stage, when the police charged and chased the blockaders, they started chasing the workers.
At least eight people, including police, were injured. To bring the situation under control, the police fired 25 rounds of tear gas shells and dispersed the workers around 11pm. Later, when the situation became normal, the traffic on the road started.
Meanwhile, workers in Ashulia have staged protests against closure of three factories and protection of workers. On the other hand, the workers of a factory have protested in Ashulia and Savar demanding the reinstatement of the sacked workers. The incidents took place in Jamgarh, Unique, Narsinghpur and Ulail areas of Savar on Monday morning.
The workers said that the workers of Sharmin Group factory in Narsinghpur area of Ashulia left the factory on Monday morning after complaining that there was not enough security. The workers of Anjuman Apparels Limited factory in Unique area also went out after joining the work and complained that there was no security system.
Workers of Ha-Meem Group in Narsinghpur area went to the factory in the morning and expressed their inability to work. The factory was later declared closed. In front of the main gate of the factory, a notice was hanged to cancel the international purchase order, considering the safety and health risks of the workers.
In addition, the laid-off workers of Sigma Fashions in Ashulia gathered in front of the main gate of the factory in the morning and demanded reinstatement of their jobs and opening of the factory.
On the other hand, the workers of KL Design Factory in Ulail area of Savar also protested demanding reopening of the closed factory.
Several workers complained that the factory authorities were only trying to avoid liability by providing hand washes and masks. When they were asked to join the work without adequate safety and hygiene, they left the factory to protest.
Sarwar Hossain, central organizing secretary of the Bangladesh Textile and Garment Industry Workers League, said, “Many factory authorities are not abiding by the rules of hygiene.” That is why the workers are protesting outside the factory. We urge the factory owners to ensure adequate security and return the workers to work. “
Jane Alam, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ashulia Industrial Police-1, said, “Some factory workers have left without doing work. However, it is the responsibility of the owner to ensure adequate safety measures in the factory. If anyone informs us about these issues, we will find a solution. Additional police have been deployed in front of the factories to avoid any untoward situation.
