Workers clash with cops for 9-hour shift 50 injured

Front PageSunday, August 15, 2010

At least 50 people including 20 law enforcers were injured in a clash between police and textile mill workers demanding nine-hour shift at Rupganj in Narayanganj yesterday.

The workers of ACS Textile at Barpa first staged a demonstration at the factory around 8:00am and vandalised five vehicles, some machines and three office rooms to press their demand of nine-hour shift instead of the existing 12-hour one.

Later, over 4,000 workers of the factory took to the street and blockaded Dhaka-Sylhet highway for around two hours since 9:00am. They vandalised at least 20 vehicles on the highway.

Officer-in-Charge Forkan Sikder of Rupganj Police Station told The Daily Star that the clash erupted around 10:00am when the workers continued the blockade defying police request to call off their programme.

Narayanganj Police Super Biswas Afzal Hossain said police charged truncheon and lobbed 15 teargas canisters to disperse the demonstrators. The law enforcers also had to fire 60 rubber bullets in the face of the workers attacking with sticks and brickbats.

Witnesses said police also fired shotguns at the workers. The law enforcers continued charging batons on the workers even when the demonstrators left the spot and took shelter in nearby shops and lanes.

Police picked up five workers from the spot.

Meanwhile, the textile mill remained closed yesterday. Daud Masud Akbani, managing director of ACS Textile, said the factory had never saw labour unrest over wage or allowance. He claimed that the attack by the workers had caused the mill a loss of Tk 20 crore.

He also claimed that a certain worker leader had incited the demonstration.

Ziaul Ahsan Talukder, assistant police super (Kha Circle) of Narayanganj police, said 20 police members including sub-inspectors Awlad, Mamnun and Shafiq were injured while driving off the demonstrators from the highway.

The situation in the area is now under control.