Workers at MM Knitwear Limited in Gazipur's Konabari area staged a sit-in protest on Wednesday, demanding reinstatement of recently dismissed workers.
The protest escalated into clashes, injuring the factory's security chief and a police constable from the industrial police force, along with several others.
During the demonstration, workers locked the factory’s main gate and left the key behind in a symbolic act of defiance.
Members of the army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), industrial police, and Gazipur Metropolitan Police were deployed to the scene.
The incident took place around 9am within the factory premises. Factory administrative officer Monowar Hossain confirmed the incident.
Among the injured were Security Chief Azizur Rahman, 45, and Constable Nahid, 28, from Gazipur Industrial Police-2. Constable Nahid, who was seriously injured, was transported to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital.
The protesting workers said that, following an earlier demonstration, MM Knitwear and Mamun Knitwear Limited had dismissed 113 workers on charges of vandalism and disorderly conduct. Despite receiving all due compensation, the dismissed workers returned in hopes of reclaiming their jobs.
Workers began a strike two days ago, gathering outside the factory daily and later staging a sit-in inside the premises.
Saddam Hossain, a worker at MM Knitwear Limited, said: “We heard that more workers are being dismissed, which fueled the anger among workers inside the factory.”
Administrative officer Monowar Hossain added: “The workers are on strike, demanding reinstatement of the dismissed workers, although they were already compensated per labour laws.”
He also expressed concern over potential losses, stating that factory operations could be jeopardized if orders were delayed.
Fazal Ali, head of the emergency department at Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital, confirmed that Constable Nahid sustained a head injury requiring two stitches.
Konabari police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazrul Islam said: “Workers at MM Knitwear Limited are on strike, demanding reinstatement of dismissed colleagues. Military personnel on-site are in dialogue with the workers.”
