Cops use tear gas, sound grenades on protesting garment workers in Gazipur

Clashes broke out between Industrial Police and protesting workers of a garment factory in Konabari of Gazipur Metropolitan City today.

At least 10 people were injured in the clash in front of Jamuna Denims Limited factory, where workers were demonstrating over an eight-point demand, said Gazipur Industrial Police-2’s Konabari Zone Inspector Morshed Zaman.

The inspector said police fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to bring the situation under control.

“Additional police have been deployed in front of the factory to maintain law and order. The situation is now under control,” he said in the afternoon. Workers alleged that the factory authorities refused to accept their eight-point “reasonable demands” and instead sought police intervention, leading to what they described as repressive measures.

They claimed that more than 50 workers were injured by tear gas shells and sound grenades fired by law enforcers and were taken to different hospitals for treatment.

The workers’ demands include the resignation of director of the factory, payment of outstanding annual leave dues by tomorrow (January 25), fixing the tiffin allowance at Tk 50, night-duty allowance of Tk 150 after 10:00pm, a Tk 1,000 attendance bonus for all workers from helpers to operators, payment of monthly wages by the 7th of each month, approval of leave for emergency needs, and an end to "abusive behaviour" and obscene language on factory floors.

Industrial police, quoting the factory authorities, said that although management had assured workers their demands would be considered, the continuation of protests prompted the factory to be shut indefinitely for security reasons.

Attempts to contact Jamuna Denims Limited for comment were unsuccessful.