About 4,000 Accused in Three Police Cases Over Gazipur Workers' Movement, 30 Arrested
Police have filed three cases over attacks, vandalism and arson during the workers' movement in Gazipur demanding a minimum wage of Tk 30,000. About four thousand people have been accused in these cases. At least 30 people have been arrested in connection with the three cases.
Gazipur Industrial Area Police Superintendent (SP) Mohammad Amjad Hossain gave this information on Monday (2 November) afternoon. Of the cases, the Industrial Police filed two and Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) filed one.
The police superintendent said that on Monday (2 November) morning, workers from various garment factories took to the streets in the Shafipur, Chandra and Palli Bidyut areas of Kaliakair upazila and in the Bhogra Bypass, Konabari and Salna areas of Gazipur city, demanding a wage increase.
At the time, protesters set fire to a police vehicle and blocked highways. On receiving the news, police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) reached the spot and fired tear shells and sound grenades to remove the protesting workers from the highway.
At one stage, chases and counter-chases took place between the workers and law enforcement. Later, arson and vandalism of vehicles took place at a police box in Konabari and at various places including the Palli Bidyut area.
Earlier, from Sunday morning, workers' protests had spread across Konabari, Kashimpur, Mouchak, Safipur, Chandra and Palli Bidyut areas. They blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway, bringing traffic to a halt.
Because of several days of workers' movement, the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways in Gazipur became effectively paralysed. Passengers travelling from different parts of the country towards Gazipur and Dhaka suffered severe hardship.
