Day Four of Wage Protest: Workers Clash with Police in Mirpur, Mirpur-11 Metro Station Closed

Garment workers demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000 clashed with police in the capital's Mirpur on Tuesday (3 November), with repeated chases and counter-chases between the two sides. Because of the situation, the Mirpur-11 metro rail station has been temporarily closed in the interest of passenger safety.

From Tuesday morning, garment workers took to the streets in the Mirpur-11 area to demonstrate. Workers came out in Mirpur again today, demanding higher pay and allowances.

At one stage, clashes and chases broke out between the demonstrators and police. Police fired sound grenades and tear gas shells during the clashes, creating a tense situation in the area.

The workers' movement demanding a higher minimum wage entered its fourth consecutive day on Tuesday. Earlier, protests and highway blockades over the same demand also took place in various industrial areas of Gazipur.

The closure of the Mirpur-11 metro rail station was confirmed on Tuesday morning by the MRT Police control room.

The MRT Police control room said tension and clashes between garment workers and police had built up in the Mirpur-11 section since the morning. As the situation turned violent, it was decided to temporarily suspend commercial operations at the station for the overall safety of metro rail passengers and the station.

At present, no trains are stopping at the Mirpur-11 station and no passengers are boarding or alighting there. Train services at the metro rail's other stations, however, remain normal for now.

The MRT Police control room said the Mirpur-11 station will be reopened once the situation returns to normal.

Worker protests were also reported in Ashulia, Savar, on the day. Workers there demonstrated inside a factory without working, and a holiday was declared at the factory; police were also reported to have fired tear gas in Ashulia. In Gazipur, too, workers blocked a highway in protest on the day.