A total of 44 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) platoons have been deployed in Dhaka and adjacent areas to beef up security at garment factories.
BGB troops had been deployed in Ashulia, Savar, Mirpur, Gazipur and other parts of the country, Shariful Islam, public relations officer at the BGB, said on Thursday, reports UNB.
Garment factory workers in Dhaka and nearby areas returned to work on Sunday after 12 days of unrest for a minimum wage of Tk23,000.
The government on Tuesday set Tk12,500 as the minimum wage for entry-level readymade garment factory workers – up 56.25% from the previous wage – a figure workers’ unions would reject.
Outraged by the decision, garment workers from different factories protested in different areas of the city after 9:30am on Wednesday, reportedly vandalizing vehicles and setting tyres on fire on the streets.
The police then dispersed them by firing rubber bullets, lobbing teargas shells and using sound grenades, injuring several protesters. The protesters then hurled brickbats at them in retaliation.
The clashes in Gazipur soon turned fatal as a female garment worker died while another person sustained injuries.