Fatullah worker-police clash: case names 42 banned Awami League and affiliate leaders, one arrested

Police have filed a case naming 42 people and accusing another 200 to 300 unidentified people over the clash with police in Fatullah, Narayanganj. Those named in the FIR are leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and its affiliate organisations.

Sub-Inspector (SI) Shahidul Islam of Fatullah Model Police Station filed the case as plaintiff on Thursday night (November 5). After the case was filed, one man named Shibu (42) was arrested.

Those named in the FIR include Sramik League leaders Kausar Ahmed Palash and Shahadat Hossain Sentu, district Chhatra League vice-president Tipu Sultan, Jubo League leaders Azmat Ali, Mofazzal Hossain Chunnu and Wasim, Awami League leader Mojibor, and Chhatra League leaders Sohag and Selim.

Also accused are Mir Hossain Miru, named in the FIR as general secretary of Kutubpur Union Swechchhasebak League, Ranjit Mondal, Ibrahim Chengis, Fatullah thana Awami League leader Advocate Mizanur Rahman Mizan, district Krishak League president Nazim Uddin, Fatullah thana Chhatra League president Abu Shariful Haque, former Chhatra League leader Shamim, Imran Hossain Shuvo alias Chan Shuvo and Al Amin Kabir.

The list also includes Zakaria Zakir alias Zakir Member, Ratan, Rakib and Razzak, named in the FIR as an associate of Shah Nizam. Leaders and activists of the Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League and affiliate organisations at various ward and union levels have also been accused.

Police allege that there was political instigation, financing and a planned attempt at sabotage behind the ongoing movement of garment workers demanding a minimum wage of Tk 30,000. The case was filed over the November 4 incident in which workers blocked the road from Katherpul to the Shibu Market area and clashed with police.

According to the FIR, at around 9:45am on November 4, some 200 to 300 workers from Abir Fashion, Palmal Garments, Micro Fiber, Metro Garments, Time Sweater, Modern Garments and other nearby factories in Fatullah's Katherpul, Shibu Market and Iran Textile areas gathered and began demonstrating, blocking the road from Katherpul to Shibu Market.

On receiving the news, an executive magistrate, the additional superintendent of police (Crime and Ops), the officer-in-charge (OC) of Fatullah Model Police Station and members of the Industrial Police went to the scene. At first, attempts were made to persuade the workers to leave the road. But later, a section of the agitated workers set fire to tyres and other materials on the road, bringing traffic to a halt.

At one stage, when a section of the protesters tried to advance towards the Signboard area of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway to block it, police obstructed them. Brickbats were thrown as they tried to push forward defying the police, and windows of various vehicles were smashed. When police intervened to bring the situation under control, a clash with the workers ensued.

To control the clash, members of the police and the Industrial Police used tear gas shells, sound grenades and colour smoke grenades. According to the figures in the FIR, members of the two forces used a total of 203 long shells, 44 short shells, 24 sound grenades, colour smoke grenades and five tear gas shells.

Police say that after these were used, the agitated workers dispersed in different directions. Shibu was later arrested with the help of local people. Fatullah Model Police Station OC Mahbub Alam said one man named Shibu had been arrested with locals' help, and that police were trying to arrest the other accused in the incident.