Police station under siege, roads blocked as labour unrest swells

Garment workers and “alleged infiltrators” attempted to besiege a police station in Gazipur, left nine policemen injured in Narayanganj and imposed blockade on different major routes as the labour unrest continued to swell on Tuesday, despite the government pledging to meet demands.

Protests began last week, but since Saturday have been turning increasingly violent, with the government blaming “pro-Awami League infiltrators” of stoking workers’ anger and engaging in violent acts.

The violent protests remained largely confined to Mirpur, Ashulia and Gazipur till Monday, but on Tuesday workers engaged in clashes with police in Narayanganj. Another group imposed a blockade on the Dhaka-Aricha Highway for the first time during the unrest, even though no violence was reported there.

The first major violent attack was reported on Kalshi road in Mirpur around 11am on Tuesday, when garment workers, armed with batons and sticks, indiscriminately beat up a policeman. The policeman, Simon, had broken off from his team and was helpless in the face of the attacks, a social media video of the incident showed.

In Gazipur, garment workers blocked Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in Vogra area of the city, as well as the Dhaka-Tangail Highway at two points: in Naojor area of the city and Chandra Palli Bidyut area. Police and BGB managed to disperse them by using batons and tear gas, after they snubbed requests for lifting the blockades.

The blockades caused immense sufferings for travellers and commuters. Gazipur Industrial Police Superintendent Amjad Hossain said at least 30 people including policemen were injured in the clashes with protesters.

Seven anarchists were detained, who he alleged were “infiltrators unrelated to the workers’ legitimate demands.”

Things took a sharp turn in Gazipur city on Tuesday afternoon. At that time, garment workers brought out a demonstration in Kashimpur area of the city. Officers and personnel from the Kashimpur Police Station went to the spot to pacify the workers.

However, the workers were little moved and started labelling the policemen as “fraud.” Sensing things could go out of hand, the policemen retreated back to the police station.

But the protesters chased them, and upon reaching the police station, started throwing stones and brick chips at the establishment.

As they tried to close in to try to besiege the police station from all sides, police dispersed them by firing tear gas and sound grenades from the inside. The agitators fled the scene as reinforcements arrived.

Narayanganj had stayed peaceful throughout the unrest until Tuesday. On Monday, garment workers had enforced a road blockade on Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road at Jalkuri area. But four hours later, they peacefully lifted the blockade, honouring police requests for calm.

On Tuesday, a group of workers enforced the blockade in the same area, but this time they responded with violence when asked to leave.

The blockade began in front of Shibu market around 3:30pm and clashes with law enforcers broke out an hour later. A chase and counter-chase ensued between the two sides, before police managed to contain the situation.

Water cannons and armoured personnel carriers (APC) have been kept in the area, alongside a strong BGB presence, to avert further violence.

Eleven people including nine policemen were injured in the clashes, said Industrial Police-4 Superintendent Abdullah Al Mahmud.

In Savar, a group of workers blocked the Dhaka-Aricha Highway at the Hemayetpur bus stand around 4pm. About two hours later they lifted the blockade adhering to police requests in this regard, said Md Asaduzzaman Noor from the Savar Highway Police Station.

Lone policeman beaten up

Garment workers had attempted to enforce a road blockade near the Mirpur-11 metro station around 10:00am-10:30am, when police chased after them.

The workers threw brickbats but fell back and reached Kalshi Road in the face of tear shells and sound grenades.

Then, the police team marched towards the Mirpur-11 intersection, but a small group inadvertently broke off, said Jalal Uddin, officer-in-charge of Pallabi Police Station.

Seeing a small group of policemen in an isolated state, workers and agitators who took shelter in alleys found a chance to inflict violence. They surrounded the small group of law enforcers and started throwing brick chips at them from all directions.

The entire incident was filmed by a woman from the window of a nearby apartment. The video shows the policemen frantically taking shelter in nearby houses and shops.

As per the video, one policeman fails to find cover, and the agitators start beating him indiscriminately with sticks. Some people are also seen trying to restrain the attackers.

Touhidul Arif, deputy commissioner of south division under Dhaka Metropolitan Police, claimed police eventually brought the situation under control with reinforcements.

The injured policeman, Md Simon, was later admitted to the Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital.