11 members of banned AL, allied bodies held over Mirpur labour unrest

Police on Sunday detained 11 members of Awami League and its allied bodies, all banned groups, from Mirpur on suspicions they incited garment workers and themselves took part in violent acts during the ongoing labour unrest.

Md Rakib Khan, deputy commissioner of the Detective Branch under Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), confirmed the detentions.

RMG workers have been protesting for the past couple of days in different parts of the country, demanding Tk30,000 minimum monthly wage and an end to arbitrary dismissals.

However, since Saturday, they have been turning increasingly violent, even after the government assured of forming a wage board by Sunday, police claimed.

Even on Sunday, the agitated workers clashed with police and set fire to police vehicles in Mirpur. Police gathered intelligence that members of the banned groups were trying to exploit the workers’ protest to cause unrest across the country.

To this end, on Sunday, the group leaders brought in over a hundred activists into the capital from different parts of the country including Barishal, Patuakhali, Cox’s Bazar and Gaibandha, police claimed.

Alif Molla, nephew of fugitive Awami League leader and lawmaker Ilias Molla, coordinated the plan, officers said. Police are working to identify all the members of the banned groups, who took part in violence.

The detainees will be shown arrested in a case after their identities and criminal involvement are verified, police said.

Police identified the detained individuals as Mohammad Kamal Gazi, 32; Mohammad Oliullah Anik, 20; Alif Hossain Imon, 26; Mohammad Nahid Hasan, 18; Arif Akand, 29; Zayed Karim Riaz, 24; Mohammad Ramzan Sarker, 18; Moazzem Shaharia, also known as Niaz; Jubayed Islam Jisan, 22; and Mohammad Mahim Molla, 19.

According to police, Kamal Gazi is a joint general secretary of the Sramik League and is accused of mobilising people for marches and vandalism during labour protests. Anik was described by police as an active member of banned Awami League and a picketer. Seven others — Alif Hossain Imon, Nahid Hasan, Arif Akand, Zayed Karim Riaz, Moazzem Shaharia, Jubayed Islam Jisan and Mahim Molla — were also identified as active members of banned Awami League.

Ramzan Sarker, meanwhile, was listed by police as an active worker of the Jubo League, Awami League’s youth wing.