Jute workers-police clash on Khulna-Jashore highway, 25 injured

At least 25 people, including three policemen, were injured in a clash between police and former jute mill workers on Khulna-Jashore highway today.

The clash happened when around 1,000 former workers of Khulna and Jashore jute industrial belt took position on the highway around 11:00am to press home their 14-point demand including reopening of 25 jute mills.

Police at first tried to negotiate with the workers when they, under the banner of Sammilito Nagorik Parishad, blocked the road, our local correspondent reports.

But when the agitated workers rejected the negotiation, the policemen charged batons and fired teargas shells to disperse them from the road, leaving 20 to 22 of the workers injured, said Kudrat-e-Khuda, convener of the parishad.

At one stage, the demonstrators hurled brick chips at the law enforcers, leaving three of the policemen also injured.

Later law enforcers chased them and managed to disperse them from the highway and took control over the situation, according to police.

The injured policemen were given primary treatment, said Deputy Commissioner (DC-north) Mollah Zahangir Hossain.

The other injured people are also being given primary treatment, Kudrat-e-Khuda said.

Before taking position on the street, the workers held a rally around 10:00am, also demanding modernisation of the jute mills and payment of arrears for all the workers.