Normalcy returns in Ashulia, Gazipur, Savar after army-police drive

Joint operations of the army and police to ensure safety in the RMG hubs have helped bring back calm in Savar, Ashulia, and Gazipur areas amid ongoing workers' protests demanding employment.

Following a meeting with leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) yesterday (2 September), Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam announced that a joint campaign of the armed forces will be carried out today (3 September).

Talking to The Business Standard, BGMEA Senior Vice President Abdullah Hil Rakib said the situation in the major areas of Gazipur, Savar, and Ashulia is under control.

He said most factories have been operational since the morning, thanks to the vital role played by the army in preventing protests and dispersing demonstrators.

In Ashulia, large factories such as Hameem Group and Sharmin Group are functioning smoothly. However, workers of four factories including that of NASA Group and Al Muslim Group attempted to block the roads, but the joint forces led by the army successfully sent them home.

Rakib also mentioned a specific area called Bishmail, where some workers had gathered on the road. He noted that the army-led joint forces are heading in that direction along with the BGMEA vice president and their team to address the situation. Industrial police sources said most of the factories, except a few, are open since morning and are functioning normally. In some factories, workers are clamouring for their demands but then protests are confined to the factories only. Authorities are trying to resolve the issues. The Industrial Police is also maintaining vigilance at various places and continued patrolling.

Superintendent of Shilpa Police-1 Sarwar Alam told TBS, "The overall situation is calm today. Although we have not yet launched the joint campaign as such, the announcement of the campaign has had a major impact on the industry. We are continuing our activities, preparations are also being made for the operation."

The army and police initiated a joint operation last night in the industrial zones of Savar, Ashulia, and Gazipur to restore order after more than a hundred apparel factories were forced to shut down, with some being attacked by outsiders and protesting workers over various demands.

However, none of the authorities of these factories could be contacted yet.

Unrest in Tongi

A group of men and women protested by blocking the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Sataish area of Tongi, Gazipur around 9:30am today.

At one point, they tried to vandalise two garment factories along the road. It shut down the traffic on the highway for about an hour, Assistant Superintendent of Police of Tongi Zone of Gazipur Shilpa Police Md Mosharraf Hossain told Prothom Alo. Later the police calmed them down by assuring them, he added.

There are about 1,000 garment factories in Tongi and surrounding areas. Several workers have been dismissed from these factories due to various complaints and crimes.

A section of them took to the streets demanding jobs for the past few days. Yesterday, a group of them protested in front of Moscow Garments demanding jobs. They protested in the 7th bus stand area this morning as well.