After days of protests, Gazipur workers return to factories; no highway sit-in in the morning
After several consecutive days of worker protests demanding an increase in the minimum wage, workers in Gazipur's industrial belt have begun returning to their workplaces.
As of 8am on Thursday (5 November), no worker sit-in was seen on any highway or regional road in the district. Instead, workers were seen entering their respective workplaces in groups.
Meanwhile, to keep the law-and-order situation in the industrial area normal, 25 platoons of law-enforcement personnel remain deployed today under the leadership of 25 executive magistrates. They include 12 platoons of BGB, 5 platoons of Ansar and 8 platoons of SRB.
Assistant Commissioner (Media and Research Cell) of the Gazipur Deputy Commissioner's office, Md Arif Hossain, confirmed the matter on Thursday morning. He said 12 platoons of BGB, 5 platoons of Ansar and 8 platoons of SRB have been deployed to keep the law-and-order situation under control in view of the ongoing worker protests in industrial Gazipur. Law-enforcement personnel are on duty in the field under the leadership of 25 executive magistrates.
Arif Hossain added that law-enforcement forces are working so that no state property or people's lives and property are harmed in the name of the movement. BGB members have already taken position in the field, and members of the other forces are also ready.
Over the past several days, workers from various Gazipur factories blocked the Dhaka-Tangail and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways and demonstrated, demanding a pay rise. During that time, allegations were raised against protesting workers of setting fire to a police box, a police vehicle and a factory warehouse.
Clashes also took place between workers and law-enforcement personnel in several rounds. Workers and law-enforcement members were injured in them. Several people were detained over the incidents.
Many factory authorities declared holidays because of the worker protests. In addition, a worker named Toufik died after being beaten while filming on a mobile phone during the movement.
