The industrial zone of Ashulia became tense again on Thursday as garment workers staged demonstrations demanding a salary increase and protesting against the killing of worker Taufiq Hossain, who died on Tuesday while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the city’s Uttar.
Protesting workers walked out of work in around a hundred ready-made garment factories across Savar and Ashulia.
Walkouts, general holiday
At around 8am on Thursday, workers initially entered their respective factories and confirmed their attendance by punching their cards.
They subsequently exited the establishments and gathered in front of the main gates of neighbouring units, forcing other workers to stop working and leave. As surrounding factories declared general holidays, workers from over a hundred factories took to the streets.
At least 70 ready-made garment factories in the Ashulia area declared a general holiday to avoid worker unrest.
Moreover, in Savar police station and municipal areas – including Hemayetpur, Fulbaria, and Ulail – workers from nearly 30 garment factories gave attendance, left work, and staged protest processions along the Dhaka-Aricha highway and branch roads in protest against the Gazipur worker killing before returning home.
Muminul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of industrial police, explained that a general holiday was declared in 70 factories in the Ashulia area to avoid worker unrest.
Highway blockades, pay rise uncertainty
The protesting workers later took up positions on the Abdullahpur-Baipail road, severely disrupting traffic movement. Police chased and dispersed the demonstrators from several points to bring the situation under control, prompting workers to take positions on various branch roads.
Meanwhile, following the previous day’s road blockade on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar and arson attacks on a police van and a motorcycle, the situation in the Savar industrial zone remained largely calm from Thursday morning.
Explaining the reason behind their ongoing movement, workers in Gazipur said that although the Wage Board Commission announced a salary increase effective from coming December, the specific amount of the wage hike was not specified.
The workers are continuing their agitation due to this uncertainty.
Security reinforced
Security measures have been reinforced across the industrial zone to prevent any form of sabotage or untoward incident. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel have been deployed alongside the police, and police armoured vehicles have been kept ready at several crucial points.
Meanwhile, leaders and activists of BNP held a street meeting and motorcycle showdown in Ashulia to prevent anarchy in ready-made garment factories. The street meeting took place on Thursday afternoon in front of Nabinagar Joy Restaurant in Ashulia.
Party activists then brought out a motorcycle procession that paraded various locations along the Dhaka-Aricha highway before ending at the same venue.
Dr Dewan Mohammad Salahuddin Babu, member of parliament for Dhaka-19, attended the event as chief guest.
Also present were Advocate Nipun Roy Chowdhury, member of parliament for the reserved women’s seat; Lion Mohammad Khorshed Alam, former joint general secretary of Dhaka district BNP; Nazmul Hasan Ovi, convener of Dhaka district Swechchhasebak Dal; Abdus Sobhan, president of Pathalia union BNP; and Aminul Islam, general secretary.
