At least 50 people were injured in a clash between police and garment workers in the capital's Uttara area on Saturday as workers agitated to demand payment of arrears and a minimum basic salary of 30,000 BDT. Police personnel were among the injured, and an industrial police vehicle was vandalized during the confrontation, which disrupted traffic on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and caused congestion in surrounding areas.
The clash occurred around 11:30 AM on Saturday, October 17, near the Rajlakshmi area in Uttara. Police later used batons, tear gas shells, sound grenades, rubber bullets, and water cannons to disperse the protesters and bring the situation under control.
On Saturday, the fifth day of protests to press home their demands, workers from various garment factories in the Uttarkhan and Dakshinkhan areas began gathering at several locations from the morning. Later, they assembled at the Kosaibari railway gate, Jamtala railway gate, Azampur railway gate, and the Holly Lab intersection in Jasimuddin.
At one point, the workers gathered on Road 13 in Sector 4 of Uttara, adjacent to Rajlakshmi, and took up positions on the eastern side of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway. When they attempted to block the road, police intervened to keep traffic moving normally, creating tension between the two sides.
According to eyewitnesses, a clash eventually broke out between the protesters and the police. During this time, a faction of the workers attacked the police with sticks and hurled bricks, injuring several police personnel. An industrial police vehicle was also vandalized.
To control the situation, police initially charged with batons and later used tear gas shells, sound grenades, rubber bullets, and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators. People from both sides were injured in the clash, and although the number of injured is reported to be at least 50, detailed information regarding the identities and physical conditions of all of them was not immediately available.
Uttara East Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Morshed Alam told journalists that when the workers blocked the road, attempts were made to persuade them to disperse. However, they turned on the police and threw bricks, after which batons and water cannons were used to bring the situation under control.
The OC also stated that several police officers were injured by flying bricks and have received medical treatment. He added that the situation is currently normal, traffic movement has resumed as usual, and no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
