Police call reports of workers shot in Gazipur a rumour; Kaliakair administration warns house owners
District police have claimed that no worker was injured or killed by police gunfire during the ongoing garment workers' movement in Gazipur. The force described such reports as completely baseless and fabricated rumours and urged protesting workers and the general public not to heed propaganda.
The information was given on Monday (November 2) evening in a press release signed by Gazipur Superintendent of Police Mohammad Jasim Uddin.
The release said garment workers had been protesting with various demands including a pay rise in several areas of Kaliakair Upazila in Gazipur, including Mouchak, Safipur, Palli Bidyut and Chandra.
It said police were performing their duties with restraint, patience and professionalism so that no miscreant or evil circle could use ordinary workers as a shield during the movement to carry out violence, vandalism or damage to state and public property.
The police release further said some individuals and groups were spreading rumours that workers or students had been injured or killed by police gunfire, in order to serve their own interests and incite ordinary protesters against the police. In reality, no incident of police firing, or of any protester being injured or killed by gunfire, had taken place during the workers' movement in Gazipur.
Police said the government has already formed a wage board, giving importance to the workers' demand for higher pay and allowances. Workers were therefore urged not to get involved in violence, arson and vandalism at the instigation of miscreants and to concentrate on their own work. Police also assured that they would stand beside lawful and orderly movements.
Meanwhile, a separate press release signed by Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Commissioner Md Israil Hawlader reported on violence in the Gazipur metropolitan area surrounding the workers' movement.
The GMP release said that on Monday a section of workers protesting for a wage rise took position on the highway and tried to blockade it. At that time tension, scuffles and a clash situation arose among workers of a garment factory.
At one stage, miscreants vandalised two police vehicles in the Naojor area and set fire to one police vehicle. One member of the district police was slightly injured, the release said.
The release also said no casualty had occurred in the GMP's Sreepur metropolitan police area. City residents were requested not to spread, without verification, information circulating on social media and elsewhere about attacks on police and casualties. Police investigation to identify those involved in these incidents is continuing, the release said.
Meanwhile, the Kaliakair Upazila administration has warned house owners to prevent outsiders and criminals from being sheltered in connection with the workers' movement.
In a public notice signed on Monday by Kaliakair Municipality administrator and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) A H M Fakhrul Hossain, it was said that if house or flat tenants shelter any outsider other than family members, or if a member of a criminal gang rents a house and stays there, Kaliakair Police Station or the upazila administration must be informed quickly.
The public notice further said house owners would have to bear responsibility if necessary information on this matter is concealed or if any untoward incident occurs because outsiders were sheltered.
Clashes, vandalism and arson have taken place over the past few days around the movement, running in various industrial areas of Gazipur over workers' demand for a wage rise. Law enforcement agencies remain on alert to control the situation.
