Staff Reporter :
At least 15 people were injured as a serious clash took place between the RMG workers and police at Mirpur in the city on Monday.
Over 700 workers of Meridian Fashions Limited staged demonstration protesting the sacking of 21 of their fellow colleagues and demanding immediate payment of their arrears and salaries.
The aggrieved workers told journalists that Nasiruddin Ahmed, Managing Director of Meridian Fashions Limited, had earlier sacked 21 workers without any prior notice.
“Later, we some workers held a meeting with the authority on Sunday. But the authority didn’t assure us of reinstating our fellow workers. Being frustrated we all workers of the factory on Monday didn’t join the work. We took position at Mirpur-1 intersection,” an agitating worker said.
When contacted, Jahangir Alam, assistant commissioner, Mirpur Zone, said the workers in a procession marched toward Mirpur-2 and blocked the road since 11:00am to 12 noon Monday.
They also ransacked a large number of vehicles on the Chiriakhana (Zoo) Road.
“Police requested the workers to withdraw their programme as huge traffic congestion has already been created on the road. Being informed, the BGMEA leaders also rushed to spot and tried to resolve the problem,” the police official said.
But the workers did not respond to the police request and became more violent.
According to the witnesses, when police tried to clear the road, the workers became furious and locked in altercation with the law enforcers.
At one stage police swooped on agitating workers and started clubbing them in a bid to clear the road.
When the workers started pelting stones targeting the cops, the law enforcers beat them up indiscriminately.
According to witnesses, within minutes the whole area turned into a battlefield creating panic among the pedestrians and bus passengers.
Being chased by the police, the workers again blocked the road halting vehicular movement between Mirpur 1 to 10 and Zoo Road.
The authorities of the factory termed the workers’ protest as illegal for shutting their factory till Wednesday.
Besides, the authorities also issued a notice containing Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006 that the factory will remain closed till August 9 due to what the authorities term ‘illegal strike’.
And if the current situation does not improve the factory will remain closed for a longer period, the notice read.
As a result, a serious traffic congestion was created in the both ends of the Mirpur 2 intersection in front of Sony Cinema Hall.
Commuters traveling through the road on Monday stranded as the clash led to gridlock on the busy roads causing untold sufferings to them
The Mirpur and its adjacent area were choked with hundreds of buses, coaches and other motor vehicles due to the traffic jam worsening the situation.
