Workers and police clash in Ashulia, tear gas fired; 12 detained

Garment workers protested again in Ashulia of Savar on Tuesday (3 November). During demonstrations and road blockades at several points of the Baipail-Abdullahpur road, protesters clashed with police in chases and counter-chases and hurled brickbats. Police fired tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. Twelve people have been detained over the incident.

Eyewitnesses and Ashulia Industrial Police-1 sources said workers joined work at various garment factories in Ashulia on Tuesday morning, but workers of several factories stopped work, prompting the authorities of some factories to declare a holiday.

At around 8:30am, workers set fire to tyres and plastic materials at several points of the road in front of a Ha-Meem Group factory in the Narsinghpur area and demonstrated. Chases and counter-chases and brickbat throwing took place with police, who fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. The protesters later took positions in lanes of the area.

Workers also blockaded and demonstrated at the Unique and Nischintapur areas of the Abdullahpur-Baipail road, before police fired tear gas shells and removed them.

Ashulia Industrial Police-1 superintendent of police (SP) Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan said: 'About 40 factories have already declared a holiday. Workers of about 10 factories have stopped work and are staying inside their factories.'

Meanwhile, two cases have been filed with Ashulia police station over vandalism, arson and other offences during the ongoing workers' protests, and another case is under process at Savar Model police station. The officers-in-charge (OCs) of the respective stations provided the information.

The OCs said 12 people have been detained over the incident, though their detailed identities were not known.