Garment workers clashed with police on the Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road on Tuesday as protests demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000 entered their second day.
Workers hurled bricks and stones at police, who responded with batons and tear gas to bring the situation under control. Several people, including a police officer, were injured.
The clashes broke out around 4:45pm in the Jalkuri area of Siddhirganj.
According to police and local sources, workers began blocking the road and demonstrating in the Shibu Market area around 3pm. Police tried to stop them by setting up barricades, but the protesters broke through and took to the main road.
Some workers set fires at different points along the road and chanted slogans while carrying sticks, bringing traffic to a halt in the surrounding areas.
When police tried to calm the protesters, workers hurled bricks and stones at them. Police then charged batons and fired tear shells, triggering chases and counter-chases before the situation escalated into clashes.
Several garment workers and a police officer were injured. Their identities could not immediately be confirmed.
Mohammad Shahin Ahmed, president of the district unit of the Garment Workers Trade Union, said workers had blocked the road on Monday over their demand for a Tk30,000 minimum wage and resumed the protest on Tuesday as their demands remained unmet.
He said he was unaware of the injuries.
Narayanganj Additional Superintendent of Police Tarek Al Mehedi said protesters had thrown bricks and stones at police, prompting officers to fire tear gas to restore order.
Garment workers had blocked the same road on Monday over a five-point set of demands. The blockade halted traffic for nearly four hours from noon before workers withdrew around 4:15pm following assurances from the local lawmaker, district administration and police.
Their demands include setting the minimum monthly wage at Tk30,000, introducing rationing facilities at all garment factories, ensuring trade union rights, bringing those responsible for the deaths of workers, including Amzad Hossain Kamal, to justice, ending arbitrary layoffs and fully implementing labour laws.
Factory operations at Panchabati BSCIC Industrial Estate and Adamjee Export Processing Zone in Siddhirganj were normal on Tuesday morning, with workers reporting for duty.
However, tensions flared again after workers took to the streets in the Katherpul area around 3:15pm.
Following Monday’s blockade, Deputy Commissioner Raihan Kabir had announced the deployment of five platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to strengthen security in the district. Three platoons were kept in reserve and two assigned to patrol.
Law enforcement personnel were deployed at the scene on Tuesday to bring the situation under control.
