This morning, police used teargas canisters and sound grenades to disperse garment factory workers who had blocked the Mirpur neighborhood of Dhaka in order to demand a wage increase. Assistant Commissioner (zone of Mirpur) Hasan Mohtarim stated that four law enforcement officers were injured when the workers hurled brick chips at them. When Kafrul police were attempting to convince the workers to free the road, the workers attacked them with brick chips around 11:30am, the police officer said.

Several helmet-wearing, stick-welding outsiders were among the laborers, according to the AC. However, some workers alleged that Awami League activists also joined the police while dispersing them. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel were stationed there, but no action was taken, local reporters reported. RMG workers blocked the main road at Mirpur-11 for the third consecutive day around 8:30 a.m., impeding traffic in the area as they demanded a pay increase. They also demanded the arrest of those who assaulted protesting workers in the last two days. Our reporter on the scene reports that workers also threatened to vandalize vehicles attempting to traverse that section of the roadway. “We are continuing our peaceful protest for a wage increase,” said one of the employees. However, we were assaulted. The attackers have not yet been captured. “No one cares about our lives,” a protesting worker stated.

Source: The Daily Star