Following a rumour of the deaths of two fellow employees, workers set fire to three buildings of Standard Group garment factory in Konabari industrial area of Gazipur in the early hours of on Friday.
It took over 13 hours for fire fighters to tame the flames.
Earlier, workers of some adjacent sweater factories held a rally in front of Standard Group on Thursday afternoon demanding a wage hike. They called upon Standard Group workers to take part in the rally.
At one stage the agitated workers began to throw brick chips at the factory. Police rushed to the spot and drove them away by firing rubber bullets and teargas, local people who witnessed the incident told this reporter.
Later at night, the agitated workers returned in front of the factory and when police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them they locked in clashes with police, they said.
“When about 200 workers were leaving the factory around 10:30pm after their shifts were over a clash was going on outside. As soon as the workers came outside police fired rubber bullets, injuring 20 workers,” said Line Chief of the factory Tariqul Islam and other workers.
Then someone made an announcement through a loudspeaker from a nearby mosque that two workers died in police firing. As the rumour flew around hundreds of workers of Standard Group and from adjacent factories entered the factory and set the three buildings on fire, local people said.
Gazipur Civil Defence and Fire Service Deputy Assistant director Akhtaruzzaman Liton said 12 units of fire service department from local and Dhaka Headquarters worked jointly and around 1:30pm the fire was brought under control.
However, the fire again spread as it came in contact with liquid chemicals kept inside the premises.
“The 10-storey main building and two six-storey buildings were completely gutted. We cannot estimate the loss at this moment.”
Standard Group head office General Manager Rezaul Karim said 18 loaded covered vans that were ready for shipment and 13 other vehicles, including private car, micro bus, and small covered vans of the factory were burnt to ashes.
“All three buildings, vehicles, finished products and all other materials inside the factory were destroyed by the fire,” he said.
Standard Group Senior Manager Nur-E-Alam said the company started its venture in 2012 with Tk15bn investment.
Gazipur Industrial Police Inspector Shawkat Kabir said he did not have any information about the death of any worker. “We have fired rubber bullets only to control the situation and to protect properties.”
Meanwhile, Gazipur District Commissioner Mohammad Nurul Islam formed a seven-member probe committee headed by Additional District Magistrate Mohammad Mohsin to investigate the incident.
