At least 264 garment factories in Savar and Ashulia declared general holidays on Monday following clashes between workers and police over demands for a minimum wage increase and other labor-related issues.
Superintendent of Police of Industrial Police-1 Mominul Islam Bhuiyan confirmed the development on Monday afternoon.
For the 3rd consecutive day, garment workers in the industrial areas of Savar and Ashulia took to the streets demanding a Tk30,000 increase in the minimum wage, an end to blacklisting and a halt to worker layoffs.
In the morning, workers blocked the Nabinagar-Chandra Road in the Baroipara area, pressing for the wage increase and 3 other demands. Police later persuaded them to leave the road.
Meanwhile, workers at Newage Garments in the Nischintapur area entered the factory premises and staged a work stoppage. They later gathered in front of Ananta Garments on the Baipail-Abdullahpur Road.
Several factories, including Knit Asia, Al-Muslim, Trouser Line and Ananta Garments, declared general holidays on Monday, as they had on the previous day.
Later, when workers staged a sit-in on the road, police attempted to disperse them. At one point, workers threw bricks and stones at police, triggering clashes and chases between the two sides.
Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. During the unrest, agitated workers also set fire to a covered van in the Narsinghpur area, further escalating tensions in the industrial zone.
According to police, incidents of brick-throwing and subsequent clashes were reported in front of the factories of Picard Bangladesh Ltd, Artistic Design, Janoron Sweater Ltd, Ferrari Garments Ltd, Denitex Limited, Anlima Textile Limited, Al Islam Textile Limited and GQ Industries.
Police later attempted to bring the situation under control through discussions with workers. Two garment workers were detained during the incidents.
Mominul Islam Bhuiyan said the unrest in the Savar industrial area stemmed from workers' demands.
He said general holidays had been declared at 264 garment factories across the Savar-Ashulia industrial area due to the unrest. Additional police personnel were also deployed in the area to prevent further incidents.