Garment workers clashed with police in Dhaka's Mirpur on Sunday as labour unrest spread across major industrial areas, prompting the deployment of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel in Gazipur and the closure of dozens of factories in Gazipur and Ashulia.
Workers demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000 blocked the Mirpur-10 intersection around 9am, bringing traffic to a standstill.
Around 11:15am, a chase and counter-chase broke out between police and protesters as law enforcers moved to disperse them. Police fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to bring the situation under control.
The area remained tense following the incident.
Protesting workers also set fire to a police vehicle under the Mirpur-11 metro rail station, reportedly burning it completely.
Workers had blocked several roads in Mirpur for around five hours each on Thursday and Saturday over the same demand. Following Saturday's blockade, some workers also vandalised several garment factories and shopping malls.
## BGB deployed in Gazipur
Amid the ongoing unrest, adequate numbers of BGB personnel were deployed along the Gazipur-Tangail highway and at several industrial areas to maintain law and order and ensure public safety.
Under the supervision of five executive magistrates from the Gazipur district administration, BGB members will remain deployed until 7 November in Chandra and Palli Bidyut, Sofipur, Konabari and Mouchak, Naojor and Bhogra Bypass.
Gazipur-2 Industrial Police Superintendent Md Amzad Hossain said general holidays had been declared at 30-35 factories.
A fire also broke out at a market in the Chandra Palli Bidyut area of Kaliakair. Police were yet to determine whether it was accidental or caused by arson amid the labour unrest.
Earlier in the day, workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway in Kaliakair around 8:30am, halting traffic in both directions.
Workers had entered factories in the morning but stopped work shortly afterwards and took to the highway. Thousands of workers carrying sticks gathered on the road, causing severe traffic congestion and disrupting the movement of commuters and long-distance passengers.
A group of protesters also set fire to a police box in the Konabari area of Gazipur Metropolitan City.
Several police officers on duty were reportedly injured in the incident, Additional Commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police Md Taherul Huq Chauhan confirmed.
He said police were trying to bring the situation under control and resolve the dispute through discussions. However, he warned that action would be taken against anyone attempting to disrupt law and order under the pretext of pressing demands.
Kaliakair Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shahidul Islam said police were working to clear the highway and restore normal traffic movement.
Additional District Magistrate of Gazipur Md Sohel Rana said adequate numbers of BGB personnel had been deployed alongside police units to maintain law and order.
He added that authorities were holding discussions with workers to resolve the situation peacefully.
Workers in Gazipur's industrial areas have been demonstrating for some time over their wage demands. Protests have been reported in Konabari, Mouchak and Sofipur over the past few days.
Although the government has announced the formation of a new wage board to raise workers' wages, discontent and protests have continued at several factories.
Workers had blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway from Saturday afternoon until night before lifting the blockade. They returned to the road on Sunday morning.
## Factories close in Ashulia
In Savar's Ashulia, workers from at least three factories, including Knit Asia and New Age, stopped work on Sunday morning, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk30,000 for the garment sector and an end to blacklisting.
At least 48 factories declared holidays in Ashulia amid the labour unrest, an internal source within the garment sector confirmed to The Business Standard.
The number could increase further as the day progresses, relevant sources said.
Industrial Police had not yet disclosed the official count of factories that had declared holidays.
After several factories announced general holidays earlier in the morning, workers left the premises and gathered on the streets, creating tension in the area.
Protesters later gathered outside Sharmin Group in the Narsinghapur area along the Baipail-Abdullahpur road, demanding that the factory also declare a holiday and allow its workers to leave.
Industrial Police personnel took positions outside the factory, triggering a standoff with workers. Vehicular movement along the road came to a halt as protesters occupied the area.
After traffic remained suspended for about an hour, Sharmin Group also declared a general holiday and allowed its workers to leave.
The situation subsequently eased, with conditions in the area reported to be normal around 12:15pm.
Several factories in the area declared holidays amid the protests, but the exact number had not been confirmed by the time this report was filed.
