Garment workers at several factories in Dhaka's Savar and Ashulia industrial belts continued protesting on Wednesday, demanding a higher minimum wage after several days of unrest.
At one point, some protesters took to the streets and attempted to block roads, triggering clashes and chases between workers and police. Tensions spread across several parts of the industrial belt.
Workers entered factories and joined their shifts as usual in the morning in Hemayetpur, Savar, and Jamgora, Ashulia. However, workers at several factories in the two areas later staged work stoppages to press for their demands.
Around 9:30am, authorities at several factories in Jamgora announced holidays following the workers' work stoppages. As workers left the factories and attempted to block roads, police fired tear gas and sound grenades to disperse them.
Several rounds of clashes and chases between police and workers followed.
A similar situation unfolded in Hemayetpur, Savar, shortly after 10am. Workers from several factories came out and gathered on the streets, attempting to block roads. Police fired tear gas to disperse them.
No casualties had been reported in the incidents as of the time of filing this report.
However, an Industrial Police source said that despite the unrest at several factories, production remained normal at most garment factories across the industrial belt.
Attempts to contact Industrial Police-1 Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan several times for details on the overall situation and the exact number of factories that had declared holidays were unsuccessful.
