Daylong Garment Worker Protests and Clashes in Mirpur, Gazipur and Ashulia; Police Vehicle Torched, 11 Arrested in Mirpur

Garment workers protested throughout Sunday (November 1) in Dhaka's Mirpur, Savar's Ashulia and Gazipur's Konabari and Kaliakair, among other areas, demanding a minimum wage determination and other demands. During the protests there were repeated clashes with police at various places, factories were vandalised and a police vehicle was set on fire in Mirpur.

In the morning, when garment workers in Mirpur took to the streets, chases and counter-chases and clashes took place with police. At around 11am a police vehicle was set on fire under the metro station at Mirpur 11. The situation in the area returned to normal after the clashes stopped at around 12 noon.

In Gazipur, the BGB was deployed to bring the situation under control. From the morning, workers took to the streets in Konabari, Kaliakair, Ashulia and nearby areas, and worker-police clashes took place at various places. Law enforcement officials said protesters vandalised various factories and set fire to a police box.

Mohammad Rakib Khan, deputy commissioner (DC) of the Mirpur division of the Detective Branch (DB) of police, said 11 members of the banned Awami League and its associate organisations were arrested in connection with the Mirpur clashes.

DC Rakib Khan said none of those arrested are garment factory workers, and their homes are in various districts including Cox's Bazar, Patuakhali, Barguna and Gaibandha. He said their involvement in the politics of the Awami League and its associate organisations was confirmed by checking phones and other information. He said 100 to 150 people were followed behind the garment workers as they moved from ECB Chattar to Mirpur 10 and 12, and several were detained from there.

Meanwhile, some garment workers said that although the government has formed a wage board, they will continue the movement until a minimum wage is announced. The workers are demanding that the minimum wage be set at 30,000 taka.

Garment owners' organisations BGMEA and BKMEA have expressed concern over the ongoing situation. After an emergency meeting on Sunday afternoon, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu told a press conference that if the ongoing disorder and factory vandalism in the garment industry do not stop, owners will not be able to keep factories open.

BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem said around a hundred factories have already closed. If the situation is not brought under control, owners will be forced to close garment factories indefinitely under Section 13(1) of the law. He said real workers are not in this movement; if they were, it would have stopped on the first day. There is another purpose behind it, which the government must find out, he said.

The owners do not consider the demand for a 30,000-taka minimum wage logical. Mohammad Hatem said wages were raised in three phases from 2013 to 2023. If the minimum wage is then set at 30,000 taka, many owners will not be able to pay it and many factories will close. He said the owners expect the board to set a logical wage considering all sides.

After a meeting with the prime minister at the Secretariat on Sunday night, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters that instigation is being given from across the border using innocent garment workers. He said a conspiracy is under way to disrupt the country's export trade and production, and the government will deal with such activities strictly.

The home minister said no real worker or workers' organisation is involved in the ongoing violent movement. Masked people have entered the movement at various stages to serve their own interests. He also commented that the minimum wage issue could have been resolved through worker-owner discussion and there was no reason for a violent movement.

Addressing garment owners, the home minister said factories must be kept running and no step can be taken that creates a fresh crisis. Factory activities must be run through discussion and understanding with workers. He also said the prime minister advised taking necessary steps to protect workers' interests while maintaining the continuity of production and export trade.