Production at 15 Gazipur RMG units halted
50 including 12 cops hurt
Production at 15 readymade garment factories in Gazipur on the outskirts of the capital was suspended for Saturday following a clash between workers and police.
At least 50 people including 12 cops were injured during the clash, reported our Gazipur correspondent.
Police said the clash ensued around 10:00am when several thousand readymade garment workers started demonstration blocking Kaliakoir-Nabinagar road in Panishail area.
The demonstration is a sequel to Thursday's incident, said Shah Mohammad, an assistant sub-inspector at Gazipur Industrial Police.
On Thursday, a group of workers beat up an official of Machhihata Sweater Factory during an altercation over their demand for a pay hike, he said.
During Saturday's demonstration, around 4,000 agitating workers vandalised the window panes of nearby factories around 9:00am.
The Machhihata workers came out of their unit and urged the workers of adjoining factories to join them, said ASI Shah Mohammad.
Around 10:30am, nearly 12,000 workers of seven factories blocked the Kaliakoir-Nabinagar road and hurled brick chips towards police who tried to disperse the agitators.
Police lobbed teargas shells and several rounds of rubber bullet to disperse the demonstrators, the police official said.
Later, the agitators fled away as additional forces of police rushed to the spot.
The traffic became normal around 1:00pm, said Shah Mohammad added.
To avoid further violence, the owners of 15 adjacent factories suspended production and declared their units closed for Saturday, he said.
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