Workers of a readymade garments factory have vandalised their workplace at Kashimpur in Gazipur, after failing to trace a colleague missing for two days.
Industrial Police intervened and removed the angry workers from a road they had blocked at Noapara on Monday.
The management of Multifab Limited shut the factory for a day after the violence.
Gazipur Industrial Police Sub-Inspector (SI) Md Nazrul Islam said the workers had begun an agitation claiming Mehedi Hasan, 24, a cutting-section worker, had been abducted and murdered.
“The workers smashed windows, came out of the factory, and started throwing stones at police. Police charged baton to contain the situation,” Islam said.
Hasan’s uncle Amirul Islam told bdnews24.com that his nephew had gone to work on Saturday and had been missing since. The missing worker is said to have got into a scuffle with section manager Nazim Uddin, who was later fired by the factory authorities.
One of Mehedi’s colleague claimed Nazim had threatened Mehedi before leaving the factory. Mehedi’s relatives and friends accused Nazim of having killed Mehedi at the factory rooftop and removing his body.
They claimed there were blood stains on the roof.
The factory’s administrative officer Bivuti Heera, however, dismissed the allegations, saying, “Those marks are not blood stains but have been caused by a type of sand.”
SI Nazrul Islam endorsed Heera’s claim.
“Police have examined those stains. They are not blood marks. Police have found no evidence of murder on the rooftop.” Heera told bdnews24.com that Hasan left the factory premises around 4:45pm on Aug 9 apparently to say his afternoon prayers after receiving his salary.
He also confirmed a fight between Mehedi and Nazim. “Nazim was fired because his strained relation with the workers was hampering production.” “The search for Mehedi is on”, Heera added.
