The situation in Mirpur, Dhaka, remained calm on Monday morning following two consecutive days of road blockades and protests by garment workers.
Workers were seen heading to their factories in groups.
However, police maintained a strong presence at the Mirpur-10 intersection from the morning to prevent any further unrest.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed held a meeting with garment factory owners at the Secretariat to discuss the workers’ demands.
The latest unrest in Mirpur stems from a demand by garment workers to raise the minimum monthly wage to Tk30,000.
On Sunday, demonstrations began around 9am at the Mirpur-10 intersection before spreading to Mirpur-11, Mirpur-12, the Prashika intersection and nearby areas as workers from different factories joined in.
The situation escalated when police attempted to remove protesters from the roads. Law enforcement personnel used batons, teargas, sound grenades and water cannons to disperse the crowds, triggering clashes between workers and police. A police vehicle was also set on fire during the violence in Mirpur-11.
The unrest disrupted traffic across Mirpur and prompted the closure of the Mirpur-10 and Mirpur-11 metro rail stations for security reasons.
Police subsequently deployed additional personnel to the affected areas and began efforts to clear the roads and restore normal traffic movement.
The wage dispute has remained a source of tension in the country’s garment industry, with workers continuing to press for a Tk30,000 minimum monthly wage.
