Police See Domestic-Foreign Conspiracy Behind Savar-Ashulia Worker Movement, Warn of Stern Action Over Violence

Senior police officials believe there is instigation by a third party and a domestic-foreign conspiracy behind the violence and instability surrounding the ongoing garment workers' movement in Dhaka's Savar and Ashulia. They said this on Monday (2 November) afternoon while visiting the industrial area.

Police claim that although the government has already formed a wage board in response to the workers' demands, a quarter is deliberately trying to create an unstable situation in the industrial area. Police say they have intelligence information about the persons involved in these activities and their instigators.

Police have warned of stern legal action against anyone involved in violence, vandalism and disorder surrounding the movement, whatever their political identity. Law enforcement also claimed to have arrested several people already. However, the police officials could not immediately give the number of arrests.

Dhaka Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Md Mostafizur Rahman and Dhaka District Superintendent of Police Shamima Parveen disclosed this while answering journalists' questions in front of Al Muslim Group at Ulail on the Dhaka-Aricha highway on Monday afternoon, during their visit to review the overall situation in the industrial area.

Asked whether a third party was instigating the continuing movement and violence even after the wage board was formed, DIG Mostafizur Rahman said, "You know that the wage board was formed yesterday morning and the wage board is continuing its activities."

Urging workers to continue normal activities at their workplaces, he said, "Police are working to ensure their security. Those who are trying to create an unstable environment in the industrial area even after the wage board was formed have a different purpose. Development of the labour sector is not their purpose. Their purpose is something else. Their purpose will not be allowed to succeed in any way. Police will take everything that is needed, within the law."

"Police have information in this regard. The work of collecting this information is continuing. Stern legal action will be taken against whoever creates an unstable environment," the DIG said, adding that police are collecting information about those creating instability and their instigators.

Asked whether any of those arrested over the violence belonged to the Awami League or Chhatra League, the DIG said the political identities of the arrested persons and their involvement were being verified. But whatever political party they belonged to, stern action would be taken if they were involved in creating instability.

During the movement, some persons were seen taking part wearing helmets and masks or cloth tied over their faces. Asked whether they had been identified, Dhaka District SP Shamima Parveen said, "You have seen, we have arrested many. We have intelligence information." She said, "This helmet force — you have seen this helmet force over the last 17 years. Who was the helmet force? We are aware of that helmet force. We are working."

The SP said efforts were under way to identify these persons using CCTV footage recorded during the movement, video footage held by journalists and police's own intelligence. She claimed some persons had infiltrated the protesting workers and were carrying out violence and vandalism, and police do not consider them genuine workers. She said, "Those who are vandalising are never workers. Because workers never vandalise their organisation, their garment factory."

SP Shamima Parveen also claimed a quarter had made a big plan for the industrial area around the workers' movement. According to her, the plan did not succeed because necessary measures, including raids and arrests, were taken on the basis of advance intelligence. She said many garment factories in Savar, Ashulia, the EPZ and Hemayetpur areas are running. Unlike past incidents of vandalism and damage at industrial factories, such a situation was largely prevented this time because of advance measures based on intelligence.

The SP could not immediately say how many garment factories in the Savar and Ashulia industrial area were closed or had declared a general holiday because of the unrest. She said the factories that are closed had declared holidays by their own authorities' decision. No situation had arisen where factories had to be kept closed for lack of security.

The SP said that although an attempt was made to create instability in the industrial area the previous day, Dhaka District Police had strengthened security across the area since Monday morning. Police were working to ensure security at various garment factories in Ashulia, the EPZ and Savar, and because of police activity no opportunity arose to attack any garment factory that day. She said a message on ensuring factory security had been given in coordination with the Industrial Police, BGMEA and the garment factory owners' organisations concerned. At the same time, police urged owners to keep factories open and workers to join work.

"The livelihood of workers and their families' economic security are tied to the garment sector. The sector also has an important contribution to the country's economy. So it is essential to keep normal activities in the industrial area going," the SP said. Asked how many people had been arrested so far over the movement, she said multiple units — including Dhaka District Police, Industrial Police and Ashulia and Savar police stations — were conducting raids in various areas and several people had already been arrested from different places. But as multiple units were conducting raids, the total number of arrests had not yet been coordinated.