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Garment workers clashed with police repeatedly in Ashulia on Tuesday, forcing around 70 factories to suspend operations amid protests demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000 and two other demands.
The industrial area remained tense for the fourth consecutive day, with demonstrations, attempts to block roads and chases between workers and police reported in the Nishchintapur and Narsinghpur areas.
Workers also set tyres on fire on roads to press their demands. Police fired tear gas shells to disperse them.
According to workers, industrial police and labour leaders, employees reported to their factories in the morning but stopped work and began demonstrations.
Workers from several factories, including Ananta Garments, Deco Garments, New Age, Al-Muslim, Sadia Fashion, Knit Asia, Ha-Meem Group and Sharmin Group, came out after the factories announced closures.
They later gathered on the Abdullahpur-Baipail road and attempted to block it. Clashes erupted when police tried to stop them. Police fired tear gas shells, while workers responded by throwing bricks and stones.
An industrial police official said clashes and chases took place at several locations between Nishchintapur and Narsinghpur from 8am to 11am. Workers also set tyres on fire in the Unique area.
A garment worker said the formation of a wage board alone would not be enough, stressing that workers wanted its recommendations implemented and a new wage structure announced quickly.
Superintendent of Police of Ashulia Industrial Police-1 Mominul Islam Bhuiyan said 70 factories had either declared holidays or workers had left their workplaces by noon amid the unrest.
