120 Factories Closed Amid Wage Protest in Gazipur, Police Call Shooting Casualty Reports a Rumour

Authorities on Monday (November 2) temporarily closed 120 industrial factories in Gazipur amid vandalism and arson surrounding a garment workers' movement demanding a wage increase. Mohammad Amjad Hossain, superintendent of Gazipur Industrial Police, confirmed the information in the evening.

From 8:30am on Monday, workers took to the streets in Konabari, Naojor, Mouchak, Kaliakair's Palli Bidyut and Harinhati areas along the Dhaka-Tangail highway in the district, demanding a minimum wage of 30,000 taka. At that time they set fire on the highway.

During the movement, a police vehicle was set on fire and more than a hundred vehicles were vandalised. This created a heated situation in the industrial area.

To avoid a major accident, the 120 factories in these areas were declared temporarily closed from the morning. If the situation remains normal, the factories may reopen from tomorrow, it has been learnt. With factories closed in this important industrial area, production activities are being disrupted, and the effect is also falling on local small traders.

Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Mohammad Amjad Hossain said the factories have been kept closed for their safety. According to him, workers create disorder targeting the factories that remain open.

Amjad Hossain also said that at around 8:30am on Monday a group of workers took position in the Palli Bidyut area of the Dhaka-Tangail highway, stopping traffic. Members of the law enforcement agencies, including the Industrial Police, began working to restore traffic and keep the situation under control.

At around 12 noon, members of the law enforcement agencies went to the spot, fired tear shells and sound grenades and removed the workers from the highway. Traffic then returned to normal.

Gazipur district police said in a press release at around 9pm on Monday that no worker was injured or killed by police gunfire in this movement. The statement, sent from the office of the superintendent of police, called such information completely baseless and a planned rumour.

In the press release, the district police said garment workers have recently been demonstrating in Kaliakair, including Mouchak, Sofipur Palli Bidyut and Chandra areas of Gazipur district, with various demands including a wage increase. Police claim they have been performing their duties with great restraint, patience and in a lawful manner, without engaging in any direct clash with the demonstrators, so that no miscreant hiding behind ordinary workers can carry out violence, vandalism or harm to life and property.

According to the district police, certain individuals and groups are spreading rumours of workers or students being injured or killed by police gunfire in order to turn ordinary demonstrators against the police, which is completely baseless and fabricated. In reality, there has been no firing by police in the Gazipur workers' movement and no demonstrator has been injured or killed as a result.

The press release also said that, in response to the workers' movement over demands including a wage increase, the government has already taken the demand for higher wages and allowances into consideration by forming a wage board. Requesting demonstrating workers and the general public not to heed rumours and propaganda, police called on them to refrain from arson and violent acts in the name of movement at the instigation of miscreants and to concentrate on their own work. Police said they will stand beside all citizens in lawful and orderly activities.

Gazipur District Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jasim Uddin and Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Israil Hawlader have also said that no one was injured or killed by police gunfire. They have urged people not to heed such propaganda spread on social media.