Nearly 700 RMG factories shuttered, 100 arrested amid violent protests

Garment sector owners and managers suspended operations in at least 690 factories on Monday as work boycotts and violent protests by RMG workers continued for the third straight day

Garment sector owners and managers suspended operations in at least 690 factories on Monday as work boycotts and violent protests by employees demanding higher wages continued for the third consecutive day.

The suspensions have drawn international monitoring of the situation, and risk cancellation of purchase orders by cash-rich foreign buyers.

Of particular concern is the involvement of helmet and mask-wearing men in violence during the protests, as the two groups are tied to the Awami League, a strong political party now under a ban.

Industrial Police Superintendent Md Amjad Hossain said as of Monday, police had arrested a hundred people in around ten lawsuits filed over the violence in Mirpur, Savar-Ashulia and Gazipur. At least 32 people were arrested in Gazipur in three separate cases. Around 3,600 people have been accused in the three cases.

Another 60 people have been arrested in five cases in Mirpur, said Hasan Mohammad Naser Rikabdar, deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Mirpur Division.

More than 11,000 unidentified people have been named as accused. Another case is being prepared at Kafrul Police Station. No case was filed in Savar-Ashulia region, but four people were detained based on “multiple reliable allegations,” he added.

On Monday, 264 garment factories in Ashulia, 150 in Gazipur, and 190 others in Mirpur and other parts of the country suspended operations. Road blockades were enforced in all the three regions, and also Narayanganj, which had remained largely peaceful until Monday noon.

In Gazipur, protests were held in Vogra, Chandra and Naojor areas. The government had deployed 10 platoons of BGB personnel and 21 executive magistrates to pre-empt or potentially weaken a repetition of Sunday’s violence.

At least 12 people, including policemen, one BGB personnel and journalists, were injured in the clash. A police vehicle and multiple other vehicles were also vandalised, said Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Md Amjad Hossain.

A group of workers blocked the Dhaka-Tangail Highway at Chandra Palli Bidyut area in Kaliakoir upazila. As local police, industrial police and BGB tried to disperse them, protracted chases and counter-chases ensued, leaving at least one BGB troop injured in the head.

In Ashulia’s Narsinghapur, a group of workers from New Age Garments first left the factory floor around 9:30am, and brought out a procession on the streets, calling on workers from nearby factories to join them.

As they were marching towards the factory of Ha-Meem Group, police moved to disperse them by firing tear gas. The workers dispersed, but kept throwing brick chips at police. A chase and counter-chase continued in the area until the situation stabilized.

In Jirabo and Kathgara areas of Ashulia, works also took to the streets and engaged in clashes with police. They also took positions in Ghoshbagh area of Abdullahpur-Baipail road.

At least 12 police personnel were injured in clashes with police, and eight factories in Ashulia were vandalised, said Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of Industrial Police-1.

In Mirpur, blockades were imposed at Mirpur-10, Mirpur-11 and Prashika intersection. By noon, police had managed to disperse all the blockaders. However, a group of unidentified miscreants vandalised two RMG factories under Mirpur Model Police Station.

The incidents took place around 10:30am at Sirajganj Fashion Ltd and Deshone Apparels in Borobagh, Mirpur-2. Officials of the factories said protesters attacked the establishments because they remained operational during the ongoing movement.

In Narayanganj, workers from a factory blocked the Dhaka link road around 12:30pm, and the movement continued for four hours. Afterwards, the ruling party’s local lawmaker, administrative officials and police managed to persuade the agitators to lift the blockade in view of public safety.