The Business Standard could not independently verify whether police had fired rubber bullets, although hospital authorities said the workers had arrived with injuries consistent with rubber-bullet wounds.
After a break of several days, including government holidays, workers staged demonstrations and blocked roads in the Jamgora area of Ashulia today (10 November). Photo: Screengrab
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After a break of several days, including government holidays, workers staged demonstrations and blocked roads in the Jamgora area of Ashulia today (10 November). Photo: Screengrab
The industrial area of Ashulia in Dhaka has once again become tense amid an ongoing workers’ movement demanding an increase in the minimum wage for garment workers.
After a break of several days, including government holidays, workers staged demonstrations and blocked roads in the Jamgora area of Ashulia today (10 November).
Police initially tried to persuade the protesters to clear the road. However, after workers threw bricks and stones at them, police chased the demonstrators and fired tear gas and sound grenades to disperse them, leaving at least two garment workers injured.
Sources said workers across the industrial area joined their respective workplaces at the scheduled time this morning. However, workers at several factories observed work stoppages to press for their demands.
At around 10:30am, workers blocked the road in the Jamgora area along the Baipail-Abdullahpur highway and began protesting. Police first attempted to persuade them to leave the road. The situation escalated after protesters threw bricks and stones at police, triggering clashes and chases between the two sides.
Police then fired tear gas and sound grenades to disperse the workers.
At least two workers were injured in the clashes.
The injured were identified as Alamgir Hossain and Rafia Begum, both employees of Sterling Style.
The Business Standard could not independently verify whether police had fired rubber bullets, although hospital authorities said the workers had arrived with injuries consistent with rubber-bullet wounds.
Harun Or Rashid, operations manager of Ashulia Women and Children Hospital, told TBS that two garment workers had come to the hospital seeking treatment for rubber-bullet injuries.
“Rafia Begum sustained an injury to her head and was referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, while Alamgir received primary treatment and returned home,” he said.
Repeated attempts to contact officials of the Industrial Police for comment were unsuccessful.
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