Garment workers' wage protest in Mirpur enters third day, police chase attempt to take to streets in the morning

Garment workers' protests in Dhaka's Mirpur demanding a rise in the minimum wage have entered a third day. On Monday morning (2 November) too, garment workers gathered in the Mirpur-14 area and tried to march towards the Mirpur-10 roundabout. When police chased them, they dispersed and returned to their respective factories.

Mirpur Model police station duty officer Rozina Khatun confirmed the matter. She said garment workers were trying to take to the streets today as well. Police officers have been in the field since morning.

Police and local sources said unrest broke out among workers at various garment factories in Mirpur last Saturday (31 October). The unrest, which first began through work stoppages and protests inside factories, took an open form on Sunday.

On Sunday, workers' protests and road blockades spread tension across various areas of Mirpur. Later on Sunday too, protesters took to the streets and carried out vandalism of vehicles and arson. They tried to attack police. At one stage they clashed with police, and because of the police's tough stance the protesters were forced to leave. Police also detained several people over the incident.

Police said that, in continuation of that, workers of several garment factories in the Mirpur-14 area tried to take to the streets again this morning. When they tried to advance with a procession towards the Mirpur-10 roundabout, police members who had taken position beforehand stopped them.

At one stage, when the workers tried to cross the police barrier, police chased them. At the same time, another group of workers also tried to gather from the Mirpur-10 area. That attempt also failed due to police activity. The workers later dispersed and returned inside the factories.

The Mirpur Model police station duty officer said, 'Following the worker unrest that began on Saturday, workers tried to take to the streets again this morning. When they tried to come from Mirpur-14 towards number 10, police chased and removed them. The workers later went inside the garments factories. The situation is currently under our control.'

Meanwhile, after the past two days of protests, clashes, the closure of a metro rail station and attacks on Fire Service vehicles, a tense situation prevails across Mirpur.

Additional police members have been deployed in the Mirpur-10, 11, 12 and 14 areas to avoid any kind of unpleasant incident.