Stern action if anyone conspires in garment sector, home minister warns after meeting owners at Secretariat; blockades and clashes again in Mirpur and Gazipur
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has warned that stern action will be taken against anyone involved in a conspiracy to create unrest in the garment sector or to implement a political agenda. He gave the warning while answering journalists' questions on Monday (November 2) after a meeting with garment factory owner leaders in the Home Ministry conference room at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Meanwhile, garment workers again protested in the capital's Mirpur and in various industrial areas of Gazipur on Monday demanding a minimum wage of Tk 30,000, blocking highways and clashing with police.
The home minister said: 'If anyone tries to create an unstable situation at signals from across the border, it will be resisted. I call on those involved in such activities to refrain.' He said a warning about possible unrest in the garment sector had been given earlier; on the 18th of last month the Home Ministry wrote to the Labour Ministry asking it to take advance measures in view of the possible situation.
Earlier in the day, garment owner leaders sat with Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at the Secretariat to discuss the sector's current situation, the causes of the crisis and what should be done to resolve it.
On the ground, at about 9:15am workers gathered at Mirpur-10 in the capital and tried to take to the road; police blocked them and clashes began. Eyewitnesses and police sources said police used batons and tear shells to disperse the workers, who threw brickbats at police. Mirpur police station's officer-in-charge (OC) Hafizur Rahman said: 'The workers had come to block the road. We removed them.'
Chased from the Mirpur-10 roundabout, the workers moved towards the Mirpur-2 area. Eyewitnesses said the workers took positions in various alleys there and repeatedly tried to come out and block the road, with police chasing them on sight. At about 11am they came out in an organised way and police fired several rounds of tear shells, after which they dispersed. An attempt was also made to vandalise a bus at that time. Police are in a strict position across Mirpur, panic has spread in the area and a tense atmosphere prevails.
Most shops in and around Mirpur-10 are closed. Additional police have been deployed to ensure security, suspects are being questioned on the roads and several people have been detained. Yesterday, Sunday, clashes also took place between workers and police in the same area, during which a police pickup van was set on fire.
From the morning, the movement also spread across Konabari, Sofipur, Mouchak, Palli Bidyut and the Bhogra Bypass areas of Gazipur city. Workers took positions at various points of the Dhaka-Tangail highway, bringing traffic to a complete halt. At about 8:30am, workers from various factories in the Palli Bidyut and Mouchak areas of Kaliakair upazila began protesting on the highway; at one stage they blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway and vehicles and shops were vandalised. When an attempt was made to block the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway at the Bhogra Bypass area, BGB and police members removed the protesters.
Police and BGB members fired tear shells and sound grenades to bring the situation under control. Industrial police and additional police have been deployed in front of various factories for the security of the industrial areas. Because of the unrest, several factories in Konabari, Sofipur and other areas declared a general holiday from 8am, and holidays were also declared at factories in Konabari, Sofipur, Mouchak and several other areas in the face of the movement and tension.
Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Mohammad Amjad Hossain said: 'Yesterday a general holiday was declared at more than a hundred factories in Gazipur. Worker protests are continuing in various areas today as well. Efforts are under way to remove the workers from various places and restore normal traffic.'
In Ashulia, Savar, meanwhile, chases, counter-chases and clashes took place between workers and police. Police fired several rounds of tear shells to bring the situation under control; no casualties were immediately reported. Industrial Police-1 Additional Superintendent (Operations and Intelligence) Shoaib Ahmed said police are working to control the situation.
The protesters' main demand is fixing the minimum monthly wage at Tk 30,000. One protesting worker said: 'Prices of essentials have risen, but our wages have not risen accordingly. Buying one gas cylinder costs Tk 2,500. Forming a wage board alone will not do; how much our salary has been fixed must be announced quickly.' On the violence, the workers claim they are protesting peacefully and that ordinary workers are not involved in factory vandalism or arson; they allege that some 'outsiders' are exploiting the movement to cause unpleasant incidents and destabilise the situation.
In response to the worker protests, the Labour Ministry yesterday formed a board with representatives of owners, workers and all parties to fix the garment sector's minimum wage. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman also met the home, labour and employment ministers and other concerned officials on Sunday evening over the situation.
BNP leaders and activists were also seen stationed with sticks at the Mirpur-10 roundabout area on Monday. They were seen on the streets after the government announced stern suppression of violence yesterday. Ruling-party activists carrying sticks staged a showdown on the road from Mirpur-10 to Mirpur-2 in front of police; they say they are not bothering ordinary people and have taken to the field to resist those who would vandalise and set fires in the name of the movement.
