Four cases have been filed over two consecutive days of workers’ protests, clashes, arson and attacks on police in Mirpur, Dhaka.
The cases name about 10,500 unidentified people as accused. So far, 22 people have been arrested. The Detective Branch (DB) of police claims that 11 of them are activists of the Awami League, whose activities have been banned, Jubo League, and Chhatra League.
Law enforcement operations continue in connection with the violence surrounding the workers’ movement demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000. Officers-in-charge (OCs) of Mirpur Model and Pallabi police stations shared the information on Monday afternoon.
Md Hafizur Rahman, OC of Mirpur Model Police Station, said one case has been filed over vandalism of a traffic box and attacks on police in Mirpur. Three thousand unidentified people have been named as accused in the case. Six people have been arrested so far.
Meanwhile, Jalal Uddin, OC of Pallabi Police Station, said three cases have been filed at Pallabi over arson on a police vehicle, attacks on police, obstruction of government duties, and vandalism of a traffic box. Police are the complainants in these cases.
He said each case names between 2,000 and 2,500 unidentified people as accused. So far, 16 people have been arrested in the three cases.
The DB says local activists of the Awami League had planned to create violence in Mirpur by exploiting the workers’ movement for their just demands. A section of them had organised through online groups. They also had plans for large-scale sabotage under the cover of the movement.
Of those detained in Mirpur, 11 are activists of the Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League. They are not local garment workers. According to the DB’s claim, they came from various districts and gathered in Mirpur.
Meanwhile, at around 10:45am on Monday, workers tried to take to the road through an alley in the Senpara Parbata area of Mirpur-10. Police dispersed them and also fired several tear gas shells.
Later, workers also tried to take to the road at Proshika Intersection beside the Mirpur-2 Stadium. Police moved them away from there as well.
Eyewitnesses said workers were coming in scattered groups from the Rupnagar area, passing by the Mirpur-2 Stadium towards Proshika Intersection. When they tried to get onto the road, police obstructed them at around 11am. Tension arose between police and workers.
After two consecutive days of garment workers’ protests and clashes in Mirpur, police and other law enforcement personnel have been on alert since Monday morning. Police were seen stationed at the Mirpur-10 roundabout and surrounding areas from the morning. Riot-control vehicles, water cannons and other vehicles have been kept ready at the roundabout.
However, traffic on the roads at Mirpur-10 and surrounding areas is normal on Monday. No disruption was seen on the roads.
On Monday morning, after a meeting at the secretariat with representatives of owners on the recent situation in the garment industry, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, responding to journalists’ questions, said some industrialists and a few individuals operating under the banner of workers’ organisations are involved in creating unrest in the garment sector. Video footage, audio and other evidence of these individuals’ activities have been collected. Some people were brought under the law on Sunday as well.
He said strict action would be taken if anyone tried to worsen the law and order situation in the name of the workers’ movement.
How the movement began
On Sunday, garment factory workers blocked the road and demonstrated at the Mirpur-10 intersection in the capital, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000. Around 8am that day, workers from several garment factories took position on the road, disrupting traffic in the surrounding areas.
Clashes between workers and police began at around 11:15am. According to eyewitnesses, police used batons, water cannons, sound grenades and tear gas shells to disperse the workers. The workers then also hurled bricks and stones at police from various directions.
Chases and counter-chases between the two sides continued until 11:45am. At one point around midday, a police vehicle was set on fire beneath the Mirpur-11 metro station.
Because of the clashes, the Mirpur-10, Mirpur-11 and Pallabi metro stations were closed from 11:38am to 1:58pm.
The day before, on Saturday, garment workers had also blocked roads in Mirpur over the same demand. That day, from 10:30am to 1pm, traffic came to a standstill in Mirpur-10, 11 and 12 and surrounding areas.