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Police suspect that domestic and foreign groups are attempting to exploit ongoing labour unrest in the Savar-Ashulia industrial belt to destabilise the country, as protests by garment workers demanding higher wages and other benefits continued on Monday.
According to law enforcement sources, investigators are examining whether politically motivated groups and outside elements are influencing the demonstrations and attempting to turn workers’ grievances into a wider movement.
The unrest intensified on Monday as workers from several garment factories took to the streets, demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, an end to blacklisting and a halt to arbitrary dismissals.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner Mohidul Islam said on Sunday that police suspected some anti-government or anti-state groups had joined the demonstrations and were attempting to deteriorate the law and order situation.
According to police, nine leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and its affiliated organisations were arrested during raids in different areas of Kaliakair upazila in Gazipur early Sunday.
They were accused of participating in the protests, instigating unrest and involvement in vandalism and arson.
Police said the arrests followed intelligence reports and allegations of violent activities involving activists of the banned Chhatra League, Sramik League and Swechchhasebak League.
However, the allegations remain subject to investigation.
Political Assistant to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Mohammad Rashed Khan, also alleged that political groups were attempting to exploit the workers’ movement to destabilise the country.
In a Facebook post, he claimed that activists of the banned Chhatra League were leading parts of the demonstrations and alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) were providing opportunities for political interference.
Meanwhile, fresh clashes broke out in Savar and Ashulia on Monday as workers attempted to block roads and continued demonstrations.
Police fired tear gas and used water cannons to disperse protesters after they allegedly hurled bricks and stones at law enforcers.
A covered van was also set on fire in the Narsinghpur area, while police detained two people over alleged attacks on law enforcers.
At least 264 factories in Savar and Ashulia declared holidays amid the unrest.
The workers are demanding a minimum monthly wage of Tk 30,000, an end to blacklisting and a halt to arbitrary dismissals.
The government has meanwhile formed a six-member wage board to review the minimum salary structure for garment workers. The current minimum monthly wage stands at Tk 12,500.
The unrest has raised concerns over production, export shipments and stability in Bangladesh’s crucial garment industry, which employs around four million workers and accounts for more than 80 per cent of the country’s export earnings.