Police have filed three cases over attacks, vandalism and arson during garment workers' protests in Gazipur demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000, naming around 4,000 people as accused. At least 30 people have been arrested in connection with the cases.
Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Mohammad Amzad Hossain disclosed the information on Monday afternoon.
Of the three cases, two were filed by the Industrial Police and one by Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP).
Amzad said workers from several garment factories took to the streets on Monday morning in Safipur, Chandra and Palli Bidyut in Kaliakair, as well as Bhogra Bypass, Konabari and Salna in Gazipur city, demanding higher wages.
During the demonstrations, protesters set fire to a police vehicle and blocked highways. Police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel rushed to the areas and fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse the protesters and clear the roads.
Clashes and chases and counter-chases subsequently broke out between workers and law enforcers. At one point, a police box in Konabari and several locations, including Palli Bidyut, were set on fire, while several vehicles were vandalised.
Meanwhile, workers' protests had spread across Konabari, Kashimpur, Mouchak, Safipur, Chandra and Palli Bidyut from Sunday morning.
The protesters blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway, bringing traffic to a standstill. The unrest over the past few days has virtually paralysed both the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways, causing severe suffering for passengers travelling to Gazipur and Dhaka from different parts of the country.