Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - Labour unrest over scrapping the latest wage Saturday spread to two apparel hubs outside the capital as clashes with police in Ashulia and Narayanganj left over 100 wounded, police and witnesses said.
The violence led to the suspension of more than hundred factories and police said they fired rubber bullets, teargas shells and charged agitating workers with batons to maintain order in the major industrial clusters.
“Our intention was to bring the situation under control,” a police official said, adding that around 20 policemen were injured in the skirmishes.
On Thursday, the government announced BDT 3000 as minimum, but workers demanded BDT 5,000 and its implementation from August instead of November.
The protesters become violent when police personnel guarding the apparel area charged them with batons to clear the road, which connects Dhaka with northern part of the country, witnesses said.
Meanwhile, thousands of garments employees blockaded Dhaka-Narayanganj link road for nearly three hours and clashed with law enforcers to realize their demand.
President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Abdus Salam Murshedy said exports momentum would be difficult to maintain unless enough security is ensured for the biggest foreign-exchange earning sector.
“Some vested quarters are behind the workers’ violence,” the BGMEA chief noted.
The country's garments industry fetched around US$12 billion in 2009-10, accounting for nearly 80 percent of Bangladesh's total exports.
BBN/SS/SI/AD-01Aug.10-10:04 am (BST)
