Holiday Declared at Over 100 Garment Factories in Ashulia, Around 50 Police Members Injured in Clashes

More than 100 garment factories in Dhaka's Ashulia industrial belt have declared a holiday amid worker protests. Around 50 members of the police have so far been injured in clashes with workers, the industrial police have said.

The industrial police said that although a general holiday had been declared at more than 100 garment factories by Tuesday (3 November) noon, production was continuing at many factories in the industrial area.

Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of police (SP) of Ashulia Industrial Police-1, alleged that attempts were being made to divert the movement and destabilise the situation. He made the remarks while speaking to journalists at Nishchintapur in Ashulia, beside Dewan Pump, on Tuesday noon.

The SP said ordinary workers want to work and want to stay engaged in work. But some outsiders, at someone's instigation, were trying every morning to provoke workers arriving to join work at factories and bring them outside. According to him, they were throwing brickbats in an attempt to destabilise the situation.

Noting that the industrial police were active in ensuring workers' safety, the SP said adequate security arrangements had been made so that workers could work safely. However, workers at some factories were being forced to keep work stopped for security reasons. He also said the allegation that police were using force was not correct.

The industrial police official said police also work alongside workers on realising their fair dues. One owner had gone into hiding without paying workers four months' wages; he was detained and, through Ashulia police station, arrangements were made to pay the workers' dues. He said the workers had expressed gratitude to the police for this.

He said police were only performing their duty to maintain a proper working environment for workers. But at some people's instigation, a section of workers were coming out of factories and throwing brickbats at police and at other factories. In such situations, police disperse them in self-defence and to bring the situation under control. In his words, police are in no way opponents of the workers, and police will also work in solidarity with workers on properly implementing the government-announced minimum wage.

On factory closures, the SP said more than 100 of the over 800 factories under his jurisdiction were closed. Except for some factories in the Narsinghapur, Nishchintapur and Zirabo areas, work was continuing at most factories in other areas of Savar, while production was temporarily stopped at some factories. He said several owners had phoned after noon wanting to reopen their factories and asking for security; they were told police were in the field and ready to provide security, and were urged to open the factories and start work.

On police members being injured in the clashes, Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan said around 50 police members had been injured so far. About 20 were injured on Monday. Today, one police member was hit on the head by a brick; he needed four stitches and was admitted to hospital.

He claimed that yesterday a group of workers came out of a factory and attacked police. In that incident, two people were detained and legal action was taken through Ashulia police station. Today, too, one person was arrested on the basis of direct evidence. He said those involved in these incidents were being identified through verification.

On the movement over the minimum wage, the SP said the wage board was working; it would submit its report soon and the government would implement it. In this situation, police believe there is no justification for the movement. According to him, attempts are being made to divert the movement in a different direction and destabilise the situation.