RMG protests erupt again in Ashulia, Gazipur as factories reopen

Most ready-made garment (RMG) factories in the country resumed operations on Saturday as scheduled, but several factories were forced to close again due to violent clashes between police and workers in Ashulia and Gazipur, which left 10 people injured.

Around 500 RMG factories in Dhaka, Gazipur and Savar were shut down for days due to the ongoing worker protests demanding minimum wage hikes.

Workers and police clashed in Ashulia's Jamgora area yesterday morning after the workers tried to block the Abdullahpur-Bypail road.

Police used tear gas shells, rubber bullets, and water cannons to disperse crowds of workers. Three people were reportedly injured in the clash: Amirul Islam, a van-puller, and Shamim and Taijuddin Islam, identified as RMG workers.

Clashes between workers and police broke out in the Gargaria Masterbari area of Gazipur sadar upazila around 11am yesterday. Two industrial policemen and five workers were injured in clashes that erupted after workers tried to block the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan told The Business Standard that 42 factories in Ashulia, Gazipur, and Dhaka's Mirpur were closed shortly after reopening due to worker unrest.

Of the 42 factories, 37 were in Ashulia, four in Gazipur and Mawna, and one in Mirpur, he added.

BGMEA Vice President Md Nasir Uddin expressed hope that the protesting factory workers will join the workforce within the next two to three days, allowing the apparel industry to resume full-swing production. 

Clashes in Ashulia and Gazipur

According to the BGMEA, factories of Hamem, IDS, AM Design, S Suhi, Nasa, Polmol, FNF, Ananta, Dekko and Newage in the Ashulia area opened around 9:30am yesterday, with workers starting their work early in the morning.

However, many workers reportedly entered their respective factories, punched the cards, and left without joining work.

At around 8am, they gathered at different points on the Abdullahpur-Bypail road of Ashulia and started hurling brick chips at different garment factories in the vicinity.

At one point, the protesting workers attempted to block the road and hurled brick chips at the police officers stationed outside the factories, sparking a violent clash that left three injured.

All three of the injured were admitted to the Women and Children Health Complex in Ashulia.

Amirul, a van driver who was injured in the clashes in Ashulia, told The Business Standard, "On my way back from Baipail to Ashulia's Chaytala area, I was caught in the crossfire between the police and protesters and shot in the forehead and other parts of my body with rubber bullets."

The police, however, have denied any knowledge of injuries. Riazuddin Ahmed, the officer-in-charge of Dhaka District Detective Police (DB North), said, "We did fire some rubber bullets in a general direction to disperse the crowd, but we did not target anyone specifically. I am not aware of anyone being hit."

All factories in Tongi, Board Bazar, Gazipur Chowrasta, Mouchak, Kaliyakoir, Sreepur, and Mawa opened on Saturday. Factories in Mirpur and other Dhaka Metropolitan areas operated without any reports of unrest. Factories in Narayanganj and Chattogram are also fully operational, according to BGMEA.

However, clashes erupted in Gazipur. Industrial police and factory workers said workers at SM Knitwear in the Masterbari area have been protesting for the past few days, demanding a salary increase. No incidents occurred in the past two days because the factory was closed. On Saturday, around 11am, the workers began protesting again and tried to block the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Asad of the Industrial Police 2 Gazipur Sreepur Sub-Zone said, "We tried to convince the workers first, but they refused to listen and attempted to block the highway. The police then intervened, but the agitated workers threw bricks, injuring two policemen including myself. Several workers were also injured in the incident and received first aid."

Unrest yet to cool off

Garment workers have been protesting for a week demanding a minimum wage of Tk23,000, despite efforts by the government, workers' leaders, and owners' associations to normalise the situation.

The garments sector — the jewel in Bangladesh's export crown, with exports reaching over $46.99 billion in the fiscal year 2023 — has been ravaged by a week of protests in the past week.

On 21 October, workers demanded that their minimum wage be increased from the existing Tk8,000 to Tk20,390 while the owners have proposed to increase it to Tk10,400.

On 30 October, at least two people were killed and about 40 injured in massive clashes between police and ready-made garment workers in several industrial areas in Ashulia, Savar, and Gazipur.

Following the weeklong clashes, the factory owners on 1 November agreed to pay higher minimum wages to garment workers than Tk10,400, which they proposed earlier.